


Cake times ten

by Manuscriptor



Series: Cake Times Ten [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Asexual Castiel (Supernatural), Collars, Gags, Inverted Trope, Leashes, Multi, Non-Consensual Touching, Pining, Rimming, Sex Toys, alphas are used for many different things, these idiots don't realize they're in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-02-17 04:05:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 34
Words: 106,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13068762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manuscriptor/pseuds/Manuscriptor
Summary: Inverted A/B/O: a world where being an alpha is the worst thing that could ever happen to you, and being an omega is the golden ticket to life. Alphas are seen as rut-driven, uncontrollably violent, and too stupid to hold down a job other than hard labor. Omegas are the competent ones, the smart ones, the ones that can think with their brains instead of their genitals.Dean and Sam are alphas, taken into custody as soon as they presented and sent to labor camps until finally being put up for sponorship. If they can catch the eye of an interested omega, then maybe life can be something more than grain fields, harsh whips, and machines to milk them through each rut. And Dean does catch the eye of an omega, of two omegas in fact.After losing his sense of smell in a car accident, Cas has been pretty much bedridden ever since. He is unable to smell the difference between alphas, omegas, and betas which makes him a bumbling embarrassment in social situations. The last thing he needs is an alpha that he can barely take care of.





	1. Back to the World

 

Dean tugged at the weighted collar around his neck, fighting with his instincts. The pressing weight made him want to roll over and bare his stomach, but past experiences made him want to fight. It didn’t help that Sam was separated from him: on the opposite side of a mesh partition, sitting next to a stinking beta same as him. Dean glanced at him, locked eyes, and tried to communicate reassurance.

Sam nodded, as if catching his drift.

Dean swallowed. He would be the first one to admit he was nervous. Duh. He had spent his entire teen years—ever since he presented—in one of the manual labor camps for alphas. Sam had joined him a couple years later, when he had presented the same results.

But now, they were going back.

Not to normal life, obviously. They could never go back to normal life. But they had worked for their allotted time and now they were up for sponsorship. If an omega thought they were pretty enough or useful enough, they could be sponsored and could then live in that omega’s home.

Dean snorted. Who was he kidding? They were being adopted, sold out. Sponsorship was just a pretty name for it.

The beta that sat next to him didn’t take to his outburst too good and gave him a slight shock through Dean’s collar. Just a warning really, but Dean still flinched and hunched his shoulders. Years at the labor camp taught him to duck his face and go unnoticed. The beta seemed satisfied with this and didn’t give him a second glance.

“Not much hope for these two,” Sam’s beta commented. “Not with summer coming up.”

Dean swallowed as his own beta spoke up. “Yeah, sweaty, sticky alphas are a bitch to take care of. Not to mention the heat fries their brains.” 

Dean clenched his hands into fists and noticed Sam shift in his seat.

“And then they are stupider than before,” Sam’s beta said with a laugh.

Before Dean could open his mouth to retort to the jibes, the vehicle jerked to a stop and the two betas stood, yanking them up by their leads. Sam gagged as his orderly pulled a little too hard, and it took all of Dean’s self-control not to tear through the mesh and plant his fist in the beta’s mouth.

“Let’s go,” his beta said, opening the back of the van and tugging him out into the blinding sunlight.

Dean blinked as he went blind for a couple moments. He tried to think of the last time he had seen the sun. Not since he had presented. He rubbed his eyes and stupidly looked straight up at it. It felt so damn good.

And at the same time, made his neck sweat under the heavy leather of his collar. He rolled his shoulders and tried to ignore it the best he could.

And his surroundings. He gasped at the sensory overload, blinking as he tried to adjust. He was in a city. A _city_ , goddamn it. With roaring cars and a million smells. Food, exhaust, and omega all mixed together in a heady perfume. Dean couldn’t remember ever being in a city.

The betas led them to the sliding glass doors of the huge building, pulling them out of the chaos and into the chilling air conditioning. Dean shivered but tried to relish it. Alphas were hardly ever granted the luxury of cool air during hot temperatures. Sam hunched his shoulders against the cold, jostling his collar.

The inside of the building was not better than the outside. Beta and omega parents bustling around and filling out paperwork to adopt some alpha or another. Their children, still kits really, not yet presented, running this way and that, entertaining themselves with make believe games. Dean’s alphic instinct to protect and provide pushed up from his stomach, making him forget all about the collar. His beta noticed his interest and tugged him in the opposite direction. Of course an alpha wouldn’t be allowed near children. No one was that stupid.

Sam, though, seemed to be drunk on his rush of hormones. That, or just plain stupid. He tugged against his beta’s pulls, trying to get closer to the children and sweet smelling omegas. Before he could take two steps, three beta security guards were on him, yanking him back and shouting for back up into their radios.

“We’ve got an unruly alpha in the lobby,” Dean’s own beta said into his shoulder radio. “And his brother seems testy too.”

Dean opened his mouth to object against the words since they were clearly false accusations and got a gag shoved in for his trouble. He shook his head as the beta secured the ball tight. Sam was getting similar treatment and then some. His hands had been shoved into tight mitts and a gag kept his mouth pried open. He grunted against the betas’ grip as they tugged him towards a side room. Dean thrashed when he was pulled in the opposite direction.

_Sam!!_

They couldn’t be separated now! Not after so long! They had promised each other!

Dean growled and tensed up, getting ready to lash out. He froze when he felt the cold press of metal against his shoulder.

”Move,” a voice said. “And I will send so many watts of electricity through your body that you’ll piss yourself.”

Dean hesitated before turning his head as much as his collar would allow. The scent of this beta was sweeter but there was something else too. Something darker. The man it belonged to was just as dark. The beta wore a black suit and was carrying a cattle prod. Dean curled his lips back. No, and alpha prod, ready to put unruly alphas back in their place.

“Don’t get an attitude now,” the beta said, pressing the rod harder. “If you cooperate, you can see your brother.”

Dean bit down on the ball strapped in his mouth but let his shoulders slump. His orderly gave a tug on his lead, and Dean let himself be led through the door. His shoulders prickled when the dark beta followed after him.

“I guess I’ll be doing your file personally,” the beta said, taking the manila folder from Dean’s orderly.

“Mr. Crowley, sir,” the beta said, looking worried. “It’s not a big deal. You don’t need to worry yourself.”

“Isn’t there some mess somewhere that needs to be cleaned up?” Crowley said, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

The beta frowned. “Sir?”

Crowley rolled his eyes. “I don’t want you here,” he stated flatly. “Get lost.”

Dean tensed up, but the beta dropped his lead obediently and quickly left the room, leaving Dean and Crowley alone. Dean wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

“Easy,” Crowley said, reaching to undo Dean’s gag and letting him spit it out. “Now, care to tell me about that scene in the lobby?”

“I want to see Sam,” Dean demanded. “You can’t keep us separated.”

“I can and I will,” Crowley said. “Now, you still haven’t answered my question. Do you need motivation or—?” He tapped the ground with the alpha prod, raising his eyebrows.

Dean swallowed and took a step back. “They were going to hurt Sam,” he said.

Crowley smirked. “I think Sam’s big enough to take care of himself,” he said. “What about yourself? They were going to hurt you too.”

Dean chewed his lip. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I wasn’t thinking—“

“Damn right, you weren’t thinking!” Crowley said. “You alphas, all the same. Can’t think!”

Dean stiffed but Crowley didn’t give him half a glance.

“Strip,” Crowley ordered, and Dean coughed in surprise.

“What?” he asked. Even the keepers at the labor camp didn’t ask that of the alphas. Crowley swung the prod up and jabbed him in the side, making Dean yelp as a harsh shock jumped through his body. Not enough to send him to the floor, but enough to make him see spots.

“You must learn quickly,” Crowley said. “That when a beta or omega orders you to do something, you obey immediately. Now, strip!”

Wary of the prod, Dean tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. He tugged his pants down and pulled off his socks and shoes. He paused then, unsure if he was supposed to continue. Crowley tapped the prod, and Dean quickly finished undressing. His alphic status was all too obvious as he stood there in nothing but his collar.

“Good boy,” Crowley praised. “Do I need to make you piss in a bottle or will you continue to obey?”

Dean gulped, cupping his hands over his crotch, feeling too vulnerable to be comfortable. But he nodded anyway. Crowley seemed to like that, and he set the prod aside, flipping through the manila envelope.

He then asked Dean a dozen questions about his rut and his knot, questions that made Dean’s cheeks flame red, questions about Dean’s sexual experience and his virginity. And then the physical examination. Dean had never been more humiliated in his life. Even at the camp, none of the keepers got this involved with the alphas.

Crowley pulled on latex gloves and poked and prodded Dean in every place imaginable. He looked at his eyes and peeled back his lips to look at his teeth. He pinched his nipples and squeezed his biceps, smirking when Dean whimpered and making notes in the file. He spent long, aching minutes examining Dean’s genitals, rubbing and stroking and pinching. By the time he was done, Dean was embarrassed to find himself half hard.

“Don’t touch,” Crowley snapped as he pulled off his gloves. “Unless you want mitts to match your brother’s.”

Dean clenched his teeth at the mention of Sam but obeyed Crowley’s no-touching rule.

“As for your beautiful physique,” Crowley went on. “You are going to make an omega very happy.”

Dean felt his cheeks go pinks again, especially when Crowley gathered his clothes and placed them in a bin along with his files. It was clear he wouldn’t be getting them back anytime soon.

“As for now,” Crowley continued. “You’ll stay here, at the center. You’ll be fed well enough and trained too. No omega wants an alpha straight from the camps.”

“And for Sam?” Dean asked as Crowley started out the doors, taking his clothes and file with him.

“The same will happen to your brother,” Crowley said. “And as long as you obey, nothing too horrible will happen to you. And perhaps you’ll catch the eye of a nice omega.”

Dean didn’t want a ‘nice omega.’ He wanted Sam and freedom. But he wasn’t getting either.

Crowley shut the door behind him, and Dean could hear the lock click. There was no point in fighting. He would just get himself—or worse, Sam—in trouble. Instead, he curled up on the floor, huddled in the corner, waiting for the betas to return for him.


	2. Training at the Center

Dean gasped and lurched against his restraints, groaning into the cylindrical gag that had been shoved in his mouth. He tried to close his legs against the pain, but his knees where strapped apart and he could barely move.

“Easy, easy,” the female omega coaxed, working the plug further into his ass. “Just relax.”

Dean whimpered and shook his head. No. He couldn’t relax. He couldn’t. This was hell. He wanted the omega to get her hands off him, but she worked his dick and balls over, making him groan with need. And the plug. The plug was horrible. It was the largest one he had taken in the weeks he had been here, and it invaded him in the worst possible way. It filled him up, and its bumps and ridges were too intimate.

“You’re doing better,” she said, and the few words of praise made Dean’s chest go hot. “Just a little more.” 

Dean moaned in relief as the plug finally bottomed inside of him. He yelped as the omega stroked him, giving his balls a squeeze.

“Good boy,” she praised. “Good boy, _very_ good boy. We’re almost done. Just gotta get the harness on you.”

Dean jerked in his restraints. Not the harness. He didn’t want the harness. He didn’t have much of a choice though, as the omega slipped the straps around his thighs, tightening them snuggly before pulling more straps up over Dean’s shoulders and around his chest. Dean whimpered as more straps went between his legs and tightened around the plug, holding it in place. There was a click as the omega locked the entire harness in place and Dean went limp. He didn’t even react when the omega slipped a cold metal cage over his dick and tightened a band around the base, trapping his knot.

“Good boy,” the omega repeated, rubbing his shoulders. “You did so well today.” She undid the restraints on his wrists and elbows and then his knees and ankles.

Dean slithered to the ground and immediately began pawing at the gag in his mouth. He was ashamed to feel hot tears on his cheeks and hated to way the plug shoved up inside of him, making his dick throb pitifully.

“Easy,” the omega said, gently guiding his hands away and undoing the straps for him. Dean gratefully spat the gag into her hand and closed his eyes as she petted his nose.

She was so patronizing. Everyone here was so patronizing. It hurt. It was worse that he was crying.

“Come on, up you great oaf,” the omega said teasingly, coaxing him to his feet.

Dean gasped as the plug moved inside of him and he had to clutch to the omega to stop himself from falling back over. He clawed at the straps that bound his hips and received a slap on the wrist.

“None of that,” the omega chided. “Let’s get your collar back on and then you can go back to your room.”

Dean almost sobbed at the mention of his collar but swallowed hard instead and managed to pull himself together as the omega strapped the heavy leather around his neck. He allowed himself to be led out of the training room and back to his cell. He had to limp around the plug but the sight of Sam, already curled up on his bed in the cell next to Dean’s, was a huge relief.

The omega swiped the door open and let Dean walk in before closing it. “Dinner will be coming in an hour,” she promised. “Then you’ll have a couple hours of free time before lights out.”

Dean nodded but his attention was mostly on Sam. He didn’t move though, until the omega had left them alone. Then, and only then, did he rush to the bars separating them.

“Sam!” he whispered. He hadn’t figured out if their cells were bugged or not. “Sam! Are you okay?”

Sam was wearing a harness similar to his, but as he turned his head, Dean could see that he still had the gag shoved between his teeth. His eyes were wet with tears as he looked to Dean for help. Dean gulped.

“You didn’t try biting them again, did you Sam?” he said.

Sam looked guiltily at the wall and nodded. Dean groaned.

“Sam, we’ve been over this, the only way for us both to get sponsored is to obey. And if we cooperate well enough, then maybe we’ll be sponsored by the same owner.” Dean knew the chances were slim but he wanted to hope. “And then we can be together.”

Sam only curled into a tighter ball and faced the wall, not looking at Dean. Dean gave up on conversation and gently eased himself into his own bed, trying to disturb the plug as little as possible. He then curled up in a ball similar to Sam’s and tried to ignore his erection. While he wasn’t sure if the cells were bugged or not, he had learned the hard way that they definitely had cameras. And touching himself – even touching the cage around his dick – was highly against the rules. He gritted his teeth and tried to think of things other than his need to release.

True to the omega’s word, dinner did arrive. And it was great. The center provided amazing meals, much better than the camps had, and always large enough to fill Dean up. That was something he wasn’t used to. The beta that delivered their trays removed Sam’s gag with one last warning against biting and left them to eat in peace.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Sam complained around bites. “The omega, he grabbed my dick.”

“That’s what the trainers do,” Dean said, rolling his eyes.

Sam shook his head. “He did it in the hall. He wasn’t supposed to touch me. He tried to make me suck on his fingers and I bit him.”

Dean knew that alpha harassment wasn’t entirely uncommon. The little contact he had with other alphas here gave him stories and warnings about trainers getting too hands-y. It made his blood boil.

“Well, try not to make them angry,” Dean said, knowing that his advice was pitiful and basically worthless.

“What about you?” Sam asked. “What’s your training like?”

Dean took a large bite so he wouldn’t have to answer right away. “Basic,” he said once he had chewed and swallowed. “Just regular things.” He gestured to his harness. “This.”

Sam nodded. He understood. He was wearing the same harness. Instead he went back to eating, thankfully letting the conversation drop. They ate in silence and then sat in silence until a beta appeared to take away their empty trays.

“You have a session of unscheduled training,” he informed Dean nonchalantly. “In thirty minutes. An omega will come back for you.”

Dean jolted upright in his bed, wincing at the plug. “That can’t be right,” he protested. “I already trained for today. I’m done.”

The beta gave him a condescending smile. “That’s why I called it unscheduled,” he said. “That means it normally wouldn’t happen but it will today because of certain things.”

Dean gritted his teeth at the childish explanation but held back a snappy retort, knowing that Sam was watching him. Instead, he nodded and leaned back on his bed. The beta nodded his head in approval at the submission and carried the trays away. They waited the thirty minutes in silence until a shy omega nurse poked his head around the corner and scampered—Dean could only describe it as scampering—up to his door and swiping it open. Dean didn’t move for a moment, just stared at the tiny omega. He was half Dean’s size with scruffy brown hair and skinny limbs. He smelled as sweet as a peach farm though, the undeniable scent of a fertile omega.

“Hello,” he said and glanced down at the file in his hands. “Dean? If you want to come with me please.”

Dean blinked at the polite tone. It was something he hadn’t really experienced so far in his time at the center. Even Sam looked surprised.

“Um, please?” the omega repeated when Dean didn’t move.

“Sorry,” Dean murmured and rolled to his feet. The omega’s polite tone and considerate words made Dean re-aware of the fact that he was only wearing his harness, collar, and cage. The omega, though, politely didn’t stare and held the door open so that Dean could walk out. He didn’t even attach a lead as he made his way down the hall.

“Don’t worry, this session won’t be too exhausting,” the omega said.

Too exhausting. That wasn’t worrying at all.

“It’s just,” the omega went on. “You’re being considered for a sponsorship so the higher ups want to speed up your training.”

Dean’s heart skipped a beat and his mouth went dry. “Sponsor,” he repeated dumbly. The rational side of his mind was telling him that no sponsor would be interested in an untrained, uncouth alpha. The other half was jumping up and down with joy at the prospect of not spending another second in this place.  

“Sam,” he said, but the omega opened a door and ushered him into a bright room, bursting with color.

The room was childish and had been decorated with children in mind. The walls were all bright colors, all reds and blues and greens. The table and chairs were bright yellow. Dean blinked as his eyes adjusted, and the omega gestured for him to take a seat.

“My name is Garth,” the omega said, taking a seat opposite of Dean. “I am the head of Alpha Social Communications here at the center. Since someone had expressed interest in you so soon after arriving at the center, we need to speed up your training just a bit.”

Dean gulped and looked around warily. Training meant plugs and pumps and uncomfortable prodding. In the childish bright room, it felt even more awkward.

Garth pulled a big box out from under the table, thumping it down. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll start slow. There’s someone I need to introduce you to. He’s a good friend of mine.”

Dean stiffened in his seat, snapping his gaze to the door. ‘Friends’ were never a good thing here. ‘Friends’ meant twice as many hands and rough treatment. He blinked in confusion when Garth stuck his hand into the box, fished around, and pulled it out, wearing a sock with button eyes around his fingers.

“Hello,” the sock puppet said in a high pitched voice. “I’m Mr. Fizzles. And I’m going to help you learn alllll about how alphas should behave.”

Dean looked at the puppet and then at Garth and then shifted in his seat. He wasn’t quite sure how he was supposed to react to this. Garth took his confusion in stride. Or rather, Mr. Fizzles took it in stride.

“All alphas are confused when they are released from the camps,” he said in his nasally voice which was quickly growing annoying. “But don’t worry! I’m here to help!”

Mr. Fizzles – god, Dean didn’t want to think of him as separate from Garth—reached into the box and pulled out a stack of cards. He held one up, and Dean realized they were basically flashcards, each with a bright cartoonish picture on it. The first one was a capital A with a circle and a slash through it.

“If you see an A,” Mr. Fizzles said. “You stay away. See? Easy to remember. Shops will put up an A if they don’t allow alphas inside. Come on, say it will me.”

Dean wrinkled his nose. “If I see an A, I stay away?” he said.

“Yay!” Mr. Fizzles cheered. “Ready for the next one?”

Dean almost groaned as the next card was held up. This time, a picture of an ambulance was drawn on it.

“In any case of a medical emergency,” Mr. Fizzles chanted. “Omegas _always_ take top priority.”

Dean felt stupid as he repeated the phrase. These were things he knew already. The camps had pounded alpha inferiority into his brain. Apparently though, the camps weren’t good enough, because Mr. Fizzles picked up the next card, a horrible cartoon plug quite similar to the one inside Dean at the moment.

“At any time of day, alphas must always remember to obey,” Mr. Fizzles said.

The phrases went on and on, each one drilling home Dean’s social position compared to omegas. He was stupider. He didn’t know what was best for him. He couldn’t be trusted alone with children. He always needed supervision and a firm hand to guide him. Every punishment was deserved even if he didn’t know the reason. Basically, Garth and Mr. Fizzles were just reminding him that he was an alpha.

After about an hour or so, Garth finally put the puppet away much to Dean’s relief. He then pulled out a stack of papers as well as a pen. Dean blinked at those items. Usually, beta and omega orderlies used tablets or computers so that alphas couldn’t grab pens or pencils to use as weapons. But Garth didn’t seem to be aware that he was in the presence of an alpha twice his size that could most likely overpower him easily. Dean, of course, wasn’t so stupid to think he could escape.

“Just a couple documents,” Garth explained, flipping through the sheets. “I wanted to go over some of the behavioral expectations will be taken in your new home.

Dean swallowed thickly and shifted in his seat. Just that small amount of movement sent the plug inside him digging into an uncomfortable spot. Even the straps of his harness seemed to draw tighter at Garth’s words.

“The person looking to sponsor you,” Garth went on. “Is looking for an alpha to deal with work around the house. Your servicing training will be paused for the time being in order to concentrate on those skills.”   

Dean couldn’t stop his mouth from dropping open. Was hearing what he thought he was hearing?! Was Garth really saying what he thought he was saying?!

“Please stand up,” Garth said, slipping a key of rings out of his pocket and selecting one. He stood and Dean followed suit. “Turn around,” Garth said.

Dean obeyed, unable to believe his luck. He gripped the back of his chair to steady himself as Garth’s peachy sweet smell swelled over him. He breathed in deeply as he listened to the click of the lock disengaging and couldn’t help but smile. He shrugged off the straps of the harness but flinched when he felt fingers on the base of the plug.

“Easy, easy,” Garth coaxed.

Dean took a deep breath of peaches and relaxed the best he could.

Garth gently tugged on the plug until it slid out, and Dean let out a sigh of relief. He flinched when Garth cleaned his hole with several wet wipes but figured the slight humiliation was better than wearing that plug for the rest of the week. He allowed himself to be wiped down completely and even stayed put until Garth told him he could move.

“You’ll be occupying a new room,” Garth said as he led the way down the hall. “And tomorrow, you’ll begin your new training.”

Dean frowned as Garth led him to a room similar to the one he had been staying in before. Except this one was completely secluded and walled off so that he couldn’t talk or interact with anyone but the orderlies. Dean froze at the entrance, not wanting to be so alone, especially without Sam.

“Where is Sam?” he asked. “I want him.”

Garth gave him a careful smile. “You don’t need to worry about Sam anymore,” he said. “He will find a good omegian home same as you. Alright? Let’s get your new collar on.”

Dean didn’t want a new collar. He wanted Sam. But he didn’t want to lash out just yet and risk punishment. Not after earning a sponsor. So he allowed Garth to clip the heavy, padded collar around his throat. There were specially designed pressure points on the inside to press against his bonding site, simulating submission. He tried to shake off the meek, weakening feeling it gave him, but Garth was able to nudge him inside and lock the door before he could even collect himself. The collar really was messing with his brain.

“Tomorrow,” Garth reminded and walked away. 

Dean felt too exhausted to pull at his collar so he staggered over to the bed in his room and collapsed onto the sheets. He had to admit, as he slowly drifted off, it was nice to finally be able to sleep without something shoved up his ass.


	3. A Home

 

Dean spat a curse, snatching his hands away from the hot pan, and it fell to the floor with a bang. The chicken dish he was supposed to be cooking splattered across the tile. A second later, a sharp jolt of electricity buzzed through his collar, making him twitch. He whirled on the beta orderly without thinking, a snarl already twisting his lips.

“That wasn’t my fault!” he snapped. Another jolt of electrical pain sent him to his knees, and he clutched at his collar, gasping.

“Keep your distance,” the beta ordered.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Dean repeated meekly, climbing back to his feet but keeping his head down. “I thought the pot had cooled down.”

“You’ll have to be more aware,” the beta said, no concern at all in his voice. “Let me see your hands.”

Dean bit his lip and slowly raised his hands palm up for the beta to inspect. It wasn’t even that bad. Dean had pulled away fast enough, and the skin was only slightly red and irritated. As the beta dismissed the wound with a wave of his hand, Dean felt stupid for reacting the way he did. He still curled them close to his stomach to protect them as the beta surveyed what he _had_ managed to do.

Dean was supposed to be making roast chicken, potatoes, and gravy. Something simple, the beta had said. It wasn’t simple for Dean, who had never seen a kitchen before in his life and whose meals showed up wrapped in plastic and already preheated. It had taken him ten minutes just to figure out how the stove worked, and he was constantly forgetting the oven mitts he was supposed to be wearing.

The beta dipped a finger into the pan of brown gravy and popped it into his mouth. Dean winced when his nose wrinkled at whatever Dean did wrong. But then the beta took another taste before moving onto the potatoes.

Dean had started them cooking in pools of savory butter before realizing he had to skin and chop them smaller. When they were finished, Dean realized just how ridiculous whole, cooked, seasoned potatoes actually looked. He felt like a failure when he had scooped them out of the pan and onto a serving plate.

The beta chose one of the smaller ones, a bite sized one that he popped into his mouth. He raised his eyebrows as he slowly chewed and swallowed, taking his time as he licked the olive oil and butter off his fingertips. He turned his gaze on the over turned pan on the floor and the now wasted chicken that Dean had dropped. He didn’t look like he would eat it off the floor, and Dean figured it would be his job to clean it up later.

“Not bad,” was the beta’s final ruling.

Dean hunched his shoulders, waiting for the much harsher review. The review that said how much improvement he needed and what he needed to change and how he had messed up the recipes.  The review that said how much of an _alpha_ he was, how much better and omega or beta would do. He waited for the jolt as his collar shocked him for his failure. It was a shock that never came.

“The potatoes are cooked well,” the beta said. “Though you used too much salt.”

Shock. Shock. Shock. Shock. And nothing.

“The sauce is bland,” the beta went on. “Not enough salt. But good flavor nonetheless.”

Dean automatically flinched, but nothing came.

“And the chicken—“ The beta sighed dismissively, making a noise in the back of his throat. “Well, I guess we won’t know.” He nudged the pan with the toe of his shoe. “Clean it up and try again.”

Dean snapped his gaze up, his mouth dropping open. No punishment? Other than when he had first lashed out, but Dean had been expecting so much more. He nervously eyed the beta as he crouched to start cleaning up the pan and spilled chicken. He moved slowly, not wanted to evoke something after his review. He dropped to his knees completely to wipe down the floor with a wash cloth. The beta walked around him, straightening dishes and doing whatever the hell Dean knew. He felt awkward being down so low, so close to someone’s crotch.

Ever since his service training stopped less than a week ago, Dean hadn’t been near another person’s crotch and they hadn’t been near his. He was even allowed shorts and a tank top during his house training most times. He preferred it to how he was treated during servicing, but he couldn’t help but feel on edge. As if at any moment everything could change.

Dean finished cleaning the floor and hesitantly got to his feet, keeping his eyes downcast, waiting for the moment the beta would change his mind. He started collecting the different ingredients he would need to start the potatoes when the beta’s tablet buzzed, making him jump. The beta didn’t comment on his reaction.

“The meal will have to wait,” he said. “Your next time slot was just filled with a meeting. Apparently the sponsor wants to see how things are going.”

Meeting? Dean felt his heart sink.

“Which means you must be appropriate for inspection,” the beta continued, herding him away from the kitchen to a sitting room off to one side. He gestured to Dean’s clothes and resumed typing on his tablet. “Please, strip.”

Dean obliged, feeling less awkward since he wasn’t being watched. He was finished quickly and allowed the beta to clip a lead onto his collar, tugging him out the door. One of the better things about the training area of house alphas was that the hallways were nearly empty. Part of Dean wondered if he was the only house alpha at all.

The beta led him to a room with a table and a glass mirror that Dean figured was a one way window. The sponsor was probably there right now, watching him, sizing him up, checking out the goods as they say. Dean sniffed as discreetly as he could, trying to scent the beta or omega that was going to be doing the same to him. The room only smelled of the beta orderly and cleaning supplies.

“Sit,” the beta ordered, gesturing to the metal chair on one side of the table.

Dean obeyed, sucking in a quick breath as the cold metal met his bare thighs. The beta snapped his collar to the back of the chair then, keeping his back straight and him in place. He then detached the lead and nodded to the mirror. A moment later, the door on the opposite side of the room opened.

The first thing Dean was aware of was the sharp smell of grapes and the telltale cloy of happiness. Dean didn’t recognize it right away. After all, what would the smell of happiness be doing floating around the halls of the center? But when the omega and beta walked in, Dean understood the smell immediately.

The shorter omega was smiling, beaming, talking with the orderly about medical documents or something. He didn’t even acknowledge that Dean was in the room right away, just kept talking and talking and talking until his scent filled the entire room and Dean felt very, very small. He was just starting to shift uncomfortably in his seat, wishing he could slouch when the omega finally addressed him.

“Ah, so this is the alpha,” he said, walking straight up to Dean’s side. He grabbed Dean’s hand and brought his wrist up to his nose for a smell. “Hm, not bad,” he muttered.

“He’s progressing in his training,” the orderly said. “Doing better at the different household chores. Not perfect of course. Far from it.”

“When are alphas ever perfect?” the omega said with a laugh. It wasn’t the most caustic joke Dean had ever heard, but hearing it come from his sponsor-to-be made him wince.

“Take a look as long as you like, Mr. Novak,” the orderly said, tapping on his phone. “Dean is not scheduled to his next training session for an hour. If you have any questions please ask.”

Dean started, unused to having his name spoken out loud. It was jarring.

The omega, Mr. Novak, nodded, brushing his fingers along Dean’s shoulders and clicking his tongue. He nudged Dean’s legs apart and raised his eyebrows. “You don’t keep him caged?” he said.

Dean stiffened at the suggestion.

“Alphas at the center are trained not to touch themselves, and house alphas especially are supervised and kept too busy to find time to play with themselves,” the orderly said. “However, if you prefer that, we can get him fitted as soon as possible. If you have no interest in breeding or children, many house alphas are castrated and sometimes docked. It reduces their violent nature as well as their smell.”

“Smell isn’t a problem,” Mr. Novak said. “I’ll keep him as is. A cage might help the transition though. When I pick him up, could he have one on?”

So this was concrete. This was for certain. The sponsor was for sure taking him home.

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat and shifted. “Sam,” he said.

Immediately, the orderly was glaring at him, grip tightening around his phone. Mr. Novak looked surprised at his word but held a hand up to stop the orderly from giving Dean a correctional shock.

“And who is Sam?” Mr. Novak asked.

Dean pressed his hands between his legs, trying to hide from their stares. He wanted to kick himself for speaking up but there was no going back now. “Sam is my brother,” Dean said quietly.

“And why does he matter?” Mr. Novak said.

“We’re supposed to stay together,” Dean admitted hesitantly. Shit, he shouldn’t have mentioned Sam. He would probably get him in trouble, and alphas that get in trouble didn’t get sponsors. Dean certainly didn’t want to condemn Sam to an eternity at the center. Or worse, at a work camp miles from a city, where he would be milked through each rut and beaten until he collapsed in death.

Mr. Novak only chuckled. “Oh sweet thing,” he said. “I’d always heard that alphas were capable of forming strong familial bonds. They are so protective when out of rut.” He spoke to the orderly more than Dean. “That was one of the reasons we leaned towards an alpha rather than hiring a caretaker.” He petted the top of Dean’s head. “Don’t worry. You won’t have to take care of your brother anymore. He will be in a safe space and so will you.”

“Our center provides a bond breaking option,” the beta said, probably trying to up-sale Dean’s adoption. “We can make sure he isn’t attached to anyone before your purchase.”

Dean shuddered at that. It certainly didn’t sound good for him.

“Once he realizes that we are taking him home, he will be fine,” Mr. Novak said.

Dean hung his head, trying to duck out from under Mr. Novak’s hand, hating the way his skin crawled at the words.

Home. That was a foreign concept. Dean couldn’t imagine anywhere being _home_ without Sam being there as well. He wanted to open his mouth a protest and mention Sam again. But the orderly was typing something into his phone, probably making notes on how disobedient Dean was and different ways he needed to be punished. Dean didn’t want to be punished. He was already dreading being _caged_.

“Huh, buddy?” Mr. Novak coaxed. “By the end of the week, you’ll finally be home.”

Dean’s throat felt swollen. He wanted to demand that Sam come too. He wanted to explain that home wouldn’t be home without Sam. Damn ‘familial bonds’ and ‘protective instincts.’ Didn’t omegas and betas experience the same thing? The same bonding desire? Dean wanted to scream and yell and shout. Instead, he just sat there as Mr. Novak and the beta talked about him as if he wasn’t there.

“We’ll keep his training up at its scheduled pace,” the beta said. “But I can’t promise he will be perfect by the time you pick him up.”

“We don’t want a perfect alpha,” Mr. Novak said. “My brother needs someone who will keep him busy, and a clumsy alpha is the ideal distraction.”

Dean felt his heart sink further towards his stomach. He was going to be a gift. A damn gift. How humiliating. He would rather be a work alpha. According to Mr. Novak, he was going to be a ‘distraction.’ Dean would give himself a month at the most before he would be back at the center after his sponsor got bored of him. And then his life would become a spiral of adoption and abandonment and adoption and abandonment and adoption and abandonment.

At least Sam had a better chance than him. Servicing alphas, though thought lowly of, usually had a stable home life. Servicing alphas, though their duties were rough, were usually wanted.

Dean felt the lump in his throat but that did nothing to get rid of it. He thought of the way Mr. Novak’s fingers had lingered on the skin of his shoulders and how his eyes had lingered on the space between Dean’s legs. It felt like being reduced to a piece of meat.

And this was what his life was now.  


	4. The Sponsor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's who you've been waiting for, finally ^-^

"I don't see why I need someone here all the time," Castiel said. "I especially don't need an alpha bumbling around the house. That'll only make things worse."  
  
He already didn't like people messing with his stuff. His room was his own sanctuary and since he was basically bedridden, he wanted as much control over his space as possible. And having some huge alpha poking around all his books and belongings was a cringe worthy thought.  
  
"You need someone," Gabe insisted. "And this way, we aren't paying for a beta caretaker. An alpha is the cheaper option here. And you know—"  
  
Cas frowned. "Yeah, yeah," he said. "With my hospital bills, we always need to look for ways to save money."  
  
"Not just hospital," Gabe reminded, bustling around the room to tidy things up. "But medical expenses as well."  
  
Cas scowled at the line of pill bottles sitting in his night stand. "It's not like I want them," he said. "Besides, they aren't helping. Even the doctor admitted that medicine at this point is ridiculous and that we shouldn't expect results."  
  
"We should always try," Gabe said.  
  
Cas rolled his eyes. He wanted to argue further but his brother was already talking. About the alpha they would be buying. He would be buying. One fresh from the factories that hadn't been broken in too much; Cas didn't need a sniveling, sobbing alpha begging for mercy. He needed one that still had its head on straight. At least, that was the kind Gabe said he needed. Cas didn't think he needed anyone.  
  
"I already made a deposit on a potential alpha," Gabe was saying. "His files looked decent. Only two week old out of the factory, barely any service training. I'll probably be picking him up in a week or so."  
  
Cas wrinkled his nose. A week. He had a week. He glanced around his room and wondered what the space smelled like. He trusted Gabe enough to clean but even then, Cas felt blind. His skin suddenly started itching, and he fidgeted.  
  
"Can I go outside?" he asked. He hated asking for permission, but he knew Gabe wouldn't allow it otherwise.  
  
"Did you eat lunch?" Gabe asked.  
  
Cas twisted his hands in his blanket. "Yes," he said, looking down at his feet.  
  
Gabe snorted. "How much?" he asked.  
  
"Half," Cas said. "The sandwich was too much. But I ate all the fruit. And the granola and yogurt."  
  
Gabe sighed. "I guess that's good enough," he said. "I'll be back in an hour and you can spend the evening in the backyard."  
  
Cas wanted to go now but knew that arguing would only make Gabe reduce his outdoors time. Besides, Gabe already didn't like Cas being outside. He didn't think it was safe. Not with Cas's. . . . disability. Cas groaned. He didn't like thinking of it as a disability. But that's what his medical file said.  
  
Head trauma resulting in loss of smell. A damn car accident ruined his life.  
  
It was a one in a million chance really. Well, it was loss of smell. Or death. Cas guessed that slight inconvenience was better than death. Right? If only Gabe didn't treat him like a kit that needed constant supervision. The doctors had said that he could probably adapt after a while, but Gabe had thrown a fit when Cas had pulled aside an alpha in the middle of a grocery store to ask for help. Of course, Cas hadn't known he was an alpha; he couldn't smell him. But Gabe's face had been bright red as he apologized to the omega for bothering their alpha and pulled Cas away.  
  
It happened again the next day. Cas had stumbled straight into the arms of a janitor alpha, mistook him for a beta, and offered to buy him coffee. Gabe had not been happy and neither had the alpha's supervisors. The alpha, of course, had been a blushing mess at being supposedly mocked. At the time, he had been unable to tell if Cas had been joking or not. After that, Gabe had restricted Cas to the indoors, not allowing him to venture out without supervision and even then, he wasn't allowed outside long.  
  
It didn't take long before Gabe saw him as socially inept and not just recovering. It has come as a blow to Cas's pride and that was about it. He thought he had been doing well until Gabe explained that Cas was bumbling through nearly every conversation. Not those words exactly, of course. He had said something much gentler. But it still hurt.  
  
Cas balled his fists in the sheets of his bed before throwing them aside and swinging himself up. He wondered, stupidly, if he should change out of his usual grey sweat pants. He couldn't smell himself. He relied on Gabe mostly though he usually changed every day.  
  
And then he wondered stupidly if an alpha would care if he wore sweatpants more than one day in a row. He shook the thought off immediately, hating himself for even considering it. Besides, why would he even consider the opinion of an alpha? They would be an alpha, for god's sake. Whatever they thought about him really wouldn't matter.  
  
And then, Cas stupidly brought his wrist up and sniffed himself. Immediately after, he blushed. Of course he wanted to know what he smelled like. He hadn't been able to for the past two years. He wished he could shower and let the steam soak up his pheromones so he could walk in five minutes later and smell. Gabe used to tell him he smelled like maple syrup and the outdoors. Cas felt like Gabe was lying but how would he know now?  
  
With a sigh, he stood and stretched, groaning in appreciation as his muscles welcomed the movement. While Cas didn't mind spending the entire day laying in his bed with nothing better to do, his body wasn't quite made for it. He grabbed his shoes from the foot of his bed and shoved them on, hoping that Gabe would be coming back soon. Even so, Cas figured he could find his way to the backyard without bringing shame upon their family. Cas scoffed at that thought. What a laugh. Their family employed only betas as of late. And just for small cleaning necessities and not much more. Cas basically avoided them.  
  
"I thought I told you to wait!"  
  
Cas jumped at Gabe's voice, spinning around guiltily. He hadn't smelled Gabe approach and felt stupid that he had gotten caught. He shrugged his shoulders and stared at his feet, hoping that if he acted sorry, Gabe wouldn't make him go back to bed.  
  
"I'm not a kit," he couldn't help but protest. "I just didn't want to wait."  
  
"You still should," Gabe insisted, wiping his hands on his shirt and starting out the door. "Who knows what could be out there?"  
  
Cas rolled his eyes. "Yeah," he said mockingly. "Things like birds and flowers. Ooooo scary!"  
  
Gabe gave him a warning look, and Cas shrugged his shoulders apologetically.  
  
"I wouldn't have gotten hurt," he said. "Whatever, can I go now?"  
  
Gabe sighed and nodded and followed Cas as he hurried to the doors that led to the backyard.  
  
The huge lawn was kept in immaculate shape by the groundskeepers. Cas had seen them working a couple times before. Gabe said that a couple were actually alphas, but Cas couldn't smell the difference. As long as they kept the grass trimmed and the flower beds colorful, Cas didn't need to know their social standing as far as he was concerned. He had long decided that it didn't really matter to him. If they were able to keep the yard this size good looking, they deserved some respect.  
  
"Hm," Gabe said, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he stood on the porch. "I actually haven't been out here in a while. The fountain looks nice."  
  
Cas wanted to tell him it was new and that he had watched the workers install it just last week. He was secretly hoping to order pond goldfish and make a habit out of taking walks outside, feeding them every day and finally getting out from under Gabe's patronizing gaze. It would be so comforting to spend hours out in the fresh air, tossing bread crumbs into the water and soaking up the sun. Cas was very careful to keep his plans to himself though, not wanting Gabe to put a stop to them before he even had the chance.  
  
"The fountain does look nice," he agreed. He wanted to run out through the flowers and kick up his heels and roll through the perfectly cut grass. If he did that though, Gabe would have him dragged inside before Cas could even count to three. Instead, Cas made his way slowly down the porch steps to the lawn chairs. He eased himself into one and took a deep breath through his nose.  
  
Nothing.  
  
But the chirping birds and feeling of sun and the breeze against his skin was good enough for Cas. He closed his eyes with a sigh and tipped his head back to the sun.  
  
"I swear, you're like half plant," Gabe said, walking down the steps after him. "Surviving on nothing but sunlight and water."  
  
Cas grinned up at him. "Yeah, and I'd be a lot healthier if you let me go outside more."  
  
"Like a plant," Gabe said with a smile. Soft and gentle, as if he were talking to a kit. It made Cas want to cringe but he held it back.  
  
He wanted to stay outside as long as possible and angering Gabe would be the quickest way to get himself grounded to his room. And knowing Gabe, the time would vary from a week to months. And Cas didn't want to be stuck in bed for that long. Best to be on good behavior and grin and bear it.  
  
"Having an alpha around will be good for you," Gabe said, resting a hand on Cas's shoulder. "Just you wait. You need company. You'll be able to do so much more, even if I am gone."  
  
Cas perked up at that. Going outside without Gabe? Yes please. And he could boss an alpha around all he wanted. An alpha couldn't tell him to come inside or that he wasn't allowed to step on the tulips or that it was raining too hard and he was going to get sick if he ran around without an umbrella. An alpha would be submissive and wouldn’t question him. Cas did his best to hold back an eager smile.  
  
"Sure," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Whatever."  
  
Gabe gave him another one of those smiles that looked like it was meant for a kit and rubbed his shoulder. "You'll grow into it," he said. "As you warm up to the idea. A couple weeks from now, and you'll be wondering how you ever lived without a house alpha."


	5. The First Night

Cas was nervous. And he felt stupid for being nervous. He had dressed in jeans and a t-shirt this morning, shedding his usual attire of sweatpants. He was also wearing a pair of his fuzziest socks. Gabe would say something about omegian nesting instinct, something about collecting and surrounding himself with soft, familiar things.   
  
Cas had wandered around his room picking things up and setting them down and moving things around. He vaguely recognized it as omegian agitation: someone was going to be invading his nest and that set him on edge. It was a feeling he didn't like. It made his shoulders prickle as if someone was staring at him from far away. But every time Cas turned around, he was all alone.   
  
But not for long.   
  
Now, he was scenting the air, sniffing pointlessly on pure instinct. It was useless, but he kept finding himself huffing through his nose desperately, searching for the scent that would mark the invader when he arrived. But he always got nothing.   
  
Gabe had left roughly a couple hours ago to go get the alpha. And he still hadn't come back. Cas knew that the center was around an hour away, slightly more if the traffic was bad. Gabe had filled out the paperwork last week so there wasn't really a point for delays because of that. What was taking him so long? Cas was close to picking the skin off his fingers.   
  
A slow bong echoed through the hallways, making Cas jump. It was only the intercom, Cas realized and relaxed.   
  
The intercom!   
  
Cas jumped back to attention. The intercom! Someone at the door! Someone coming in! Someone that was probably Gabe! Cas's stomach turned flip flops again, twice as active as before now that Gabe was potentially right outside the door. His heart pounded faster in his chest, and Cas rushed out of his bedroom, heading towards the lobby. He almost collided with one of the cleaner betas as he rounded a corner.   
  
"I'm sorry!" he blurted but didn't really stop or slow down.   
  
He heard the beta laugh. "New alpha. I heard. A good reason to be excited, sir!"   
  
Was he excited? Cas wasn't really sure. He would categorize the feeling in his stomach as more anxiety than excitement. But he wanted to be there. He wanted to watch the alpha enter his territory. Maybe it was instinct—primitive primitive instinct—that drove Cas. But it made his skin crawl to think that someone new, someone he didn't know, someone strange, would be stepping into his house.   
  
He reached the lobby the moment the front door eased open.   
  
And the alpha walked in.   
  
Cas felt his a chill race up his spine.   
  
The alpha was . . . . . . an alpha. It felt stupid to think but it was the only way to describe the man. His shoulders still strained with muscle from the camps, muscle that would most likely fade over time with housework instead of hard labor. His hands were strapped behind him, giving Cas an unblocked view of his chest, abs, and below. The alpha wore a cage around his dick, probably to keep him docile and less hormonal during the move. He also wore blinders on his eyes, keeping his range of sight limited, and a bar gag that pushed his cheeks up in a parody of a smile.   
  
Cas huffed through his nose, trying to scent the alpha and getting frustrated when he couldn't. He squinted his eyes and cocked his head, peering around the corner of the hallway, not daring to enter the lobby quite yet. He noticed the wide collar the alpha wore as well, one that was designed to keep his mating glands covered and repressed. For some reason that made Cas antsy.   
  
"Ah, Cas, I hoped you would be out of your room."   
  
Cas jumped at Gabe's voice, berating himself for completing forgetting about his brother.   
  
The alpha jerked his head up, shaking his head back and forth as he tried to locate this new person. Cas watched his nose flare as he picked up on Cas's own scent, and Cas felt a rush of jealousy. The alpha finally settled on him, able to trap him in the small tunnel of sight that the blinders allowed. It was almost endearing the way the corners of his mouth were quirked up. Almost.  
  
And then Cas got tired of being stared at and scented. He moved quickly, purposefully stepping outside of the alpha's line of vision. The alpha snorted and jerked his head, visibly upset that he had lost Cas.   
  
"This is the one you chose?" Cas asked Gabe.   
  
Gabe laughed but nodded. "This is Dean," he said. "Only three weeks old. The center started his servicing training before I got to him, but it was only a week."   
  
Cas nodded, moving off to the side and settling into Dean's biggest blind spot. Dean had stopped trying to find him, letting his chin drop to his chest. Cas narrowed his eyes and huffed through his nose.   
  
Gabe sighed and rolled his eyes, offering Cas Dean's lead. "Why don't you take him to your room, huh? Introduce yourself, show him the territory."   
  
Cas didn't want to share his territory, but Gabe was basically dropping the leash into his hands. Cas had no choice but to take it. Dean immediately started to sniff again, more eager as Gabe walked off. Cas stood there and let him, angry that he couldn't do the same.   
  
"Come," he ordered with a sharp tug on the leash.   
  
The alpha gagged a little as the collar snapped against his neck, but Cas didn't really care about his comfort as he walked off. The alpha stumbled after him, struggling to keep up with Cas's steps. As Cas slipped on the marble floors, he regretted wearing his socks. It was a stupid thing anyway. He did his best to storm angrily to his room, ignoring the way he slipped every other step and how the alpha didn't slip at all.   
  
Cas burst through his doors, into his room, glancing back over his shoulder to make sure Dean was inside before slamming them shut. He then dropped the leash, satisfied that Dean wouldn't be able to escape the room in his current position. Cas looked him over, now that they were in the privacy of his room.   
  
"My name is Cas," he said, because he figured he should start with his name.   
  
Dean just stared at the floor, the blinders blocking Cas from his view. Cas sighed and took pity on him.   
  
"Hold still," he said. "I'm going to touch you."   
  
Dean stiffened at those words which, in turn, made Cas stiffen. And then Cas blushed when he realized what Dean was thinking he meant.   
  
"Not like that," he said, edging a couple steps closer to Dean. "I'm going to remove your blinders."   
  
Dean was scenting him desperately when Cas finally reached his side. Cas let him, knowing that the alpha was only doing what was natural. He reached up with shaky, sweaty hands and carefully undid the clasps on the blinders, letting them gently fall away from Dean's face.   
  
In an instant, Dean's eyes were on his face, brilliant green, shiny with fear and confusion. Pretty, in a sense. Alphic, in another sense. And then Dean seemed to remember his place, and he shifted his gaze from Cas's face to the ground. He stopped sniffing then, apparently satisfied with Cas's face that he didn't need to breathe in his scent.   
  
"Is that better?" Cas asked.   
  
Dean nodded. He glanced up briefly and then shrugged his shoulders, as if asking for Cas to remove those bindings as well.   
  
Cas shook his head, retreating to a safe distance and tossing the blinders aside. "I'm not stupid," he said. "And I certainly don't want to be strangled in my sleep. Those stay on until I trust you."   
  
Dean's shoulders slumped in defeat and he shuffled from foot to foot. The action drew Cas's gaze downwards, to the space between Dean's legs. The cock cage wasn't anything special, but it did its job well. Gabe must've picked it out. It would keep Dean's knot trapped and deflated and him docile.   
  
"I'm not removing that either," Cas said.   
  
Dean's cheeks went pink, and he bit down hard on his gag. Cas felt a bit guilty for leaving Dean in such an uncomfortable position. He stepped closer to him, hesitantly, watching Dean's nose flair. Cas swallowed and rested his fingertips on Dean's shoulder, gently pushing him in the direction of the bed. Dean flinched at first but then relaxed. He allowed himself to be guided to the bed; Cas was horribly aware that the alpha was taller than him and more muscled and could easily overpower him if he wanted.   
  
But Dean simply shuffled over to the bed with his eyes obediently fixed on the ground. Cas let his fingers rest more on Dean, until his entire palm was flat on Dean's shoulder. It was breathtaking to feel the smooth tan skin, spotted with freckles. It was a stark contrast to Cas's own skin: pale and white from spending days indoors. Of course, he didn't have to work like Dean did. He was an omega, not an alpha. Alphas were the ones outside, laboring under the harsh sun. Omegas took advantage of luxuries such as air conditioning and sweet, cold drinks while relaxing in the shade.   
  
Cas allowed his hand to wander. Downward and downward. Brushing Dean's arms, still bound tight, dipping into the dimple of his lower back. Before he knew what he was doing, he had Dean pushed down on his bed, chest flat against the blankets, legs spread wide and open. Cas blinked and pulled back, aware that Dean had gone back to scenting him out of pure panic, probably wondering what was going on.   
  
"Sorry," Cas muttered, quickly pulling away. He suddenly felt dirty, as if he had been doing something wrong. But he hadn't, he assured himself. Alphas were meant to be played with. Besides, Dean was his, technically, bought by Cas's family's money. He was no longer his own being. Cas could use him however he liked.    
  
Dean had his head tilted to one side, green eyes wide with panic as he frantically scented Cas over and over. His gag had him drooling onto the bed sheets and while his bent-over position looked far from comfortable, he was frozen to the spot, probably too scared to move. His legs were shaking.   
  
Cas grimaced. He couldn't smell Dean's fear or panic but it was clearly visible. He then felt anger explode in his stomach.   
  
How was he supposed to take care of an alpha if he couldn't smell what it felt?! Getting Dean was a stupid idea! A horrible one! Cas regretted letting Gabe talk him into it. He didn't need an alpha, a thing he couldn't understand in his condition. Cas needed— _wanted_ time alone, away from everyone, where he didn't have to worry about scents.   
  
Cas stepped forward quickly, keeping his fingers carefully off of Dean's skin as he undid the clasp of his gag, pushing it off before retreating to a safe distance.   
  
"You can get up," he said, when he was sure the alpha wouldn't be able to pounce on him in one step. "I'm going to go shower."   
  
He turned his back as Dean scrambled to his feet, licking his lips, his green eyes still confused as ever. Cas didn't offer him a better explanation. He only gathered his softest pair of sweatpants and a towel and darted out his door, giving Dean a quick order to "Stay."   
  
Cas wanted to scrub himself clean of every scent the alpha was carrying. He wanted to scrub off his own scent. It was pointless, but he still tried. He used twice as much soap and shampoo as he usually did and spent three times as long scrubbing himself from head to toe. By the time he was done, his skin was a bright pink and he felt very much clean indeed. He sniffed at his wrists as he toweled himself dry, wondering if he had achieved what he wanted.   
  
There was no way to tell.   
  
He dressed quickly in his sweatpants, dumping his jeans and t shirt in the laundry. He threw his socks in afterwards, scowling at them as if they had betrayed him. And they kind of had. He tugged on a bathrobe, glad that it was baggy and loose. It made him feel more hidden. With no other excuse to delay, Cas tip toed back to his room.   
  
Dean was curled in the corner of the room, knees pulled up to his chest, head down. He didn't even look up when Cas entered the room. And Cas did his best to ignore him as he rummaged around the room, getting ready for bed. Half an hour later, and neither of them had said another word. In fact, Dean hadn't even moved, still curled up in his tiny ball in the corner of the room. It was up to Cas to break the awkward silence.  
  
"I'm going to bed," he stated to the room.   
  
Dean didn't react.   
  
So Cas shut off the lights and climbed into bed. He was just pulling the blankets up to his chin when he realized that Dean was on the floor. Dean had nothing. Dean wasn't wearing any clothes. Dean was probably uncomfortable and cold and shivering and naked and sitting on the floor and God, now that Cas was thinking about it, he couldn't _not_ think about it. He couldn't stop thinking about the poor, naked, shivering alpha that was sitting on his cold, uncomfortable floor. Goddamnit!   
  
Cas sat up with a groan and ground the heels of his palms into his eyes. He looked over in the shadows where he was only partly sure Dean was sitting. He couldn't see him, not even if he squinted. And he couldn't smell him, dammit. He grabbed a pillow from behind him and threw it in Dean's general direction. With a grunt, he gathered the top blanket of his bed, balled it up, and threw that too, probably putting too much hate into his throw.   
  
"Goodnight," he said, flopping back down and rolling over so that his back to Dean. Or wherever Dean was.   
  
There was a long moment of silence, and the slight shuffling as Dean moved around. Cas snorted. At least he had gotten the blankets and pillows in the right spot. Or close. Why did this suddenly matter?! Cas shifted into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes, trying his best to ignore the alpha sitting on his floor. He was just drifting off with he heard . . . . . sniffling. Oh God save him, was the alpha crying? Cas shifted uncomfortably, unsure what he was supposed to do. A crying alpha? A crying alpha? What the heck was he supposed to do?!   
  
The sobbing continued, turning into little hiccups and then snorts as Dean's nose began to run and he had no way to stop it. More shuffling as Dean most likely buried his face in the pillows. Cas actually winced at the thought of tears and snot and drool getting into the fabric. Nice, clean fabric that Cas had put his face on before. His skin crawled at the thought of that. Even after washing it, it would still be . . . . . . contaminated. Cas sighed and pushed his blankets off, swinging to his feet. He stomped across the room and flicked the lights on.   
  
Dean actually flinched, his head snapping up.   
  
Cas grimaced. The alpha's cheeks were flushed and splotchy and his nose was dripping. His eyes were puffing and red. It was obvious he was trying to hold back his tears but doing a horrible job of it. What an alpha. Cas sighed and made his way across the room. When he got close, Dean scrambled to push himself up into a sitting position. Unsuccessfully. He floundered for a bit; Cas kept his distance, not wanting to get kicked or hit. Finally, Dean went limp with a grunt, and Cas stepped closer.   
  
"I'm going to help you sit up," he said. "So, uh, don't try anything."   
  
Dean was hiding his face in the pillow, shoulders shaking as he resumed sobbing. But he let Cas grab him under the arms and hoist him up into a sitting position. His kept his gaze down though, still sniffing. He tried to pull his legs up to hide himself the best he could. Cas let him.   
  
"I'm going to go get a tissue," he said, standing up. He stared down at Dean, watching him cry for an awkward moment, before hurrying to the bathroom to escape.  
  
He hunched over the sink, bracing his hands on the counter as he let out a huge sigh. He looked up and stared at himself in the mirror. Out of curiosity, he reached behind his neck to feel the back. It was just barely there: a thin, raised scar. He could trace it up to his hairline where it broke off but then he could find another behind his ear that curved up towards his temple. Two scars that condemned him to the status of worthless.

  
Cas sighed and snatched up a wash cloth, dowsing it under a cold stream of water before wringing it out and walking back to the bedroom.   
  
Dean was still sitting in his curled, ball-like position. To Cas's annoyance, he was still crying.   
  
"Stop that," he said, crouching down. He reached out towards Dean's face, hesitating at the thought of Dean's teeth being inches from his hand but then shrugged it off. Dean was too busy crying to be aggressive. Cas cupped his face in his hand and began wiping away the snot and tears with the wash cloth.   
  
Dean flinched at the touch, trying to move his face away like a little kid who didn't want his face washed. Cas bit his lip but didn't let him get away, grabbing Dean's chin to hold him in place until his face was clean. Then he sat back, setting aside the cloth and crossing his legs as he settled on the floor.   
  
"Talk to me," he said. "Why are you crying?"   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back at college and I hate myself so here's this to distract me from everything


	6. What else can you smell?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those who were worried. everyone still has a long way to go ^-^

Dean wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. This omega was sitting on the floor in front of him, looking at him like he was the stupidest alpha, asking why he was crying like he actually cared. It was strange.  
  
Dean carefully scented him, wondering if he was lying or angry at him. He had, of course, woken him up. Dean was expecting more of a punishment than a peaceful talk.  
  
Castiel—Cas, what the omega had introduce himself as, was still staring at him expectantly. He smelled like impatience and annoyance, but nothing close to anger. Another weird thing was that Dean hadn't seen Cas scenting him. Of course, his eyes had been covered part of the time but still, Dean only saw his nose flare once maybe twice. Dean figured Castiel would be scenting him constantly, trying to gauge his threat level as a foreign alpha.  
  
"Well?" Cas said, raising his eyebrows. "Talk to me or else I can't help. What's wrong?"  
  
Dean swallowed. He wasn't so stupid that he was going to tell this omega about Sam. Who knew what kind of punishment that would get him. So he sniffed, did his best to stop his tears, and tried to think of a good excuse that he was balling his eyes out.  
  
"Are you scared?" Cas asked.  
  
Couldn't he smell?! Dean was pretty sure he stunk of fear at this point. Hell, he was terrified, on the verge of pissing himself. Dean never considered himself to be a ready-to-please, sniveling alpha, but here he was, ready to roll over and bare his throat and stomach. Hell, Dean was ready to bare his ass to Cas if that meant he wouldn't get in trouble.  
  
"Look," Cas said. "You have to talk. I can't — I can't smell, okay."  
  
Dean looked up at him, wary. He sniffed, trying to smell some sort of distrust or deception on Cas. There was nothing like that.    
  
"Do you even understand me?" Cas asked, frowning. "God, I'm talking to an alpha that can't even —"  
  
"Yeah," Dean said. He winced when he cut Cas off mid-sentence, but he couldn't help it. He didn't want to be seen as stupid or incompetent just because he was an _alpha_. He cleared his throat and raised his chin. "I understand you."  
  
"Good," Cas said. At least he wasn't angry the Dean had spoken out of turn. "Now, why were you crying?"  
  
If Cas couldn't smell, he wouldn't be able to tell if Dean was lying. Right? He swallowed and shifted, re-aware that he was naked and vulnerable. Like a baby. Like an alpha.  
  
"I was. . . . . . scared," he said.  
  
Cas raised his eyebrows. "Of the dark?" he asked. "Of me?"  
  
Which was the right answer? Dean sniffed but Cas was giving nothing away. Dean would have to take a stab at not offending the omega. He took a deep breath and squirmed under Cas's harsh scrutiny.  
  
"The . . . . . . . dark?" he tried, wincing a little when his voice cracked, making his statement a question.  
  
Either way, Cas sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. As if dealing with Dean was the most inconvenient thing he had ever had to do. He pushed himself to his feet and moved to his bed, gathering the rest of his blankets in his arms and returning to Dean's side. He dumped them on the floor and started arranging a nest around Dean, tucking the blankets around him as lovingly and gently as an omega could. He then returned to grab his pillows and added them to the fluffy, comforting mess around Dean.  
  
Dean watched him silently, stiff, wondering what Cas was doing.  
  
Cas then dimmed the lights somehow, spending a moment fiddling with the light switch. The room was now a dusky, twilight zone, bordering between night and day. As he worked, Cas's scent changed from annoyance to mellowed care, and soon, that intoxicating vanilla scent filled the entire room. Dean sucked it down greedily, feeling himself go heady. He was jarred back to his senses when Cas crawled into the nest and settled down next to him.  
  
"Don't kick me," the omega warned, pulling the blankets over their laps. "And don't hog the blankets."  
  
"What are you doing?" Dean blurted.  
  
"Don't talk," Cas said. "I'm tired, and I want to sleep."  
  
Before Dean could react, Cas grabbed his collar and tugged Dean against his chest, nuzzling his chin right over Cas's scent glands in the crook of his neck. Dean's senses were suddenly flooded as he breathed in Castiel's scent directly from its source. His eyes actually started watering, so he closed them with a sigh. His mouth fell open and his tongue darted out, delicately testing the skin. And Dean moaned before he knew what he was doing. Cas was immediately pulling away, swatting his nose and glaring at him.  
  
"No," he said sternly. He pushed his blankets off and climbed to his feet, picking his way out of the nest.  
  
Dean felt his heart lurch at his mistake, and he whimpered at the loss of Cas's body heat. "Wait, I'm sorry," he sputtered, fumbling to get his legs under him and follow Cas, wanting to change his mind and make him come back.  
  
"Stay," Cas ordered, glancing back at him with a flash of fear in his eyes. He snatched up the bit gag and warily crept back towards the nest. "I don't want you to bite," he stated. "Will you obey?"  
  
If Dean said no, he wouldn't be able to breathe in Cas's sweet, addicting scent so close. If he said yes, he would get the gag shoved between his teeth. He swallowed his words of protest and nodded.  
  
Cas stepped back into the nest and crouched in front of Dean, buckling the gag inside his mouth. Dean chewed on the metal a couple times, adjusting to the feeling of it before settling down again. He looked up at Cas and whimpered, hoping he would sit back down.  
  
And Cas did, with a resigned sigh. He even pulled Dean back down against his neck, although this time the calm vanilla was tinged with the sharp smell in ginger, something like fear. Dean didn't mind. He shifted and squirmed, getting himself as close to Cas and his sweet, sweet omega-ness as he could without being obvious.  
  
And God, suddenly everything was worth it. The training and beatings and invasive examinations — suddenly it was all worth it, just so that he could sit here, next to an omega that was his. Warm and safe and satisfied. Surrounded by the thick scent of someone other than himself. Dean closed his eyes and let himself forget about everything but Cas.  
  
~*~  
  
Dean woke on his side, in a pile of blankets that smelled residually like Cas. They were also wet with his drool, but his mouth was disgustingly dry due to being held open by the gag the entire night. He grunted as he tried to sit up. His shoulders and arms were sore from spending the entire night bound and he longed to stretch them. He sniffed idly, wondering if Cas was close, but every scent was old. Dean groaned, finally getting himself upright. He yawned awkwardly around the gag and blinked, looking around the room.  
  
The blanket-pillow nest had gotten kicked around a bit and spread out during the night. Slept in. It looked so. . . . . . domestic. Dean felt a twinge in his chest. It looked so omegian. He jolted when the bedroom door opened and Cas walked in, hair wet from the shower, his scent dampened by the lingering stench of over-used soap. It made Dean sneeze.  
  
"Good, you're awake," Cas said, walking to the dresser and rummaged around for a change of clothes. "It's almost time for breakfast."  
  
Dean chewed on the gag, eager for it to be removed. Maybe he would even get clothes. He managed to roll onto his knees and from there, climbed to his feet, looking anxiously to Cas. He sniffed, but the room was still dominated by soap.  
  
"Come here," Cas said, pulling on a shirt.  
  
Dean obeyed. Even eagerly. His brain remembered last night and was eager for another whiff of Cas. Of sweet omega. When he stumbled to the spot where Cas wanted him, Cas only removed his gag, wary of his teeth, and exchanged them for a pair of large sweatpants. He had to hold them open to let Dean step in and then tie the strings around his waist so that they didn't fall down from his narrow hips.  
  
"Alright," he said once he deemed them both dressed enough. "Let's go."  
  
Dean froze at the aspect of going out of the room. Sure, he was fine inside the room. Dean wasn't quite sure he was ready to go outside.  
  
Cas was rich. That much was clear. Whatever his family did, it got them money and plenty of it. And that meant his house was huge, like a marble fortress. It didn't have that lived-in, homely feel that most houses have, and that made Dean feel out of place. Plus, he didn't want to get lost. Before he could say anything though, Cas was walking out of the room. Dean had no choice but to follow.  
  
As they walked — to breakfast? — Dean studied the way Cas moved, trying to gauge this omega that now owned him. Last night came drifting back, and Dean wondered how much of what had happened was actually true.  
  
Dean had never realized someone could actually lose their sense of smell.  
  
But looking at the way that Cas moved, the way he walked and where he looked. He didn't seem to notice the lingering scent of betas — Dean didn't know who they were, but they had left tracks of spicy, eye watering frustration. Cas didn't even react, only walked around corners and stared at his feet. Maybe what he said was true.  
  
The dining room was completely over the top. In Dean's opinion, which didn't mean much. The ceilings were vaulted and huge, a creamy marble. Three, separate, crystal chandeliers hung over a huge oak table which was already set up with a dozen different dishes and plates. And it all smelled amazing. Cas simply plodded right up to the table without a shift in his expression and took a seat, gathering a plate and started to serve himself. Dean wasn't sure what he was supposed to do so he reluctantly took the seat next to Cas and wondered how he was supposed to feed himself with his arms still locked behind him. Luckily — or maybe not so luckily — another omega walked in: the one that had picked him up from the center. He smelled fresh from the shower but also tinged with slight arousal. Dean noticed the way he slid his phone carefully into his pocket before taking his seat at the table.  
  
He made a noise of disgust when his eyes landed on Dean. "Cas, does he need to sit at the table?" he said. "Please? It's —" The word 'disgusting' went unspoken.  
  
Dean looked at the ground as he slowly slide off the chair and to his knees. Uncomfortably, he might add. The floor was hardwood for God's sake, and his knees were going to hate him by the time breakfast was over.  
  
"He needs to eat," Cas insisted.  
  
"Feed him on the floor then," the omega said. "I just don't want an alpha stinking up the table."  
  
"Gabe, you're being unreasonable," Cas said.  
  
Gabe snorted. "You can't smell him," he said. Well, at least Dean knew that was true now. "Besides, it's better to teach him early on that furniture is a privilege and not a right."  
  
Cas only rolled his eyes and finished dishing up a second plate for Dean. He ate his own plate—a scant serving of fruit and juice. Dean was relieved to see that his own plate was laden with sausages and pancakes and slices of toast. As soon as Cas finished his own food, he fed Dean piece by piece. It was awkward to be eating out of someone's hand, but Dean did his best to keep his teeth clear of Cas's fingers, noting the hint of nervousness that tinged his usual scent. As soon as the plate was empty, Cas let him take a long drink of apple juice before helping him to his feet. Dean groaned as his legs protested from being folded so long.  
  
"I'm going to go outside," Cas said, motioning for Dean to follow him.  
  
"Wait," Gabe said, still picking away at his own plate of pancakes and syrup.  
  
Cas sighed, and Dean smelled annoyance. "The whole reason I agreed to an alpha," he said, turning back to the table. "Was so I didn't have to be supervised every hour of the day. Now, I'm going outside. And Dean will come with me so that I don't get attacked by a vicious animal."  
  
"Okay, okay," Gabe said, raising his hands in surrender. "Go outside. But be back for lunch please."  
  
"Whatever," Cas mumbled, walking out of the room.  
  
Dean hurried after him, staring at the back of his head. He scented Gabe one last time, wrinkling his nose at the irritation and exasperation. Gabe clearly wasn't happy with his. . . . . brother? Were he and Cas related? Dean discreetly sniffed, trying to find a similarity in their scents. There was a small something, a slight something, very very tiny. Maybe they were related. Dean was suddenly distracted as Cas led him out onto a wooden porch and he was outside.  
  
The backyard was huge. Like a field except it was entirely neatly trimmed grass and perfect flower beds. A _fountain_ bubbled in the middle of the expanse, shooting gleaming streams of water high into the air. The yard was flawless in every possible way and smelled like heaven, from the flowers to the basic, simple fresh air. Dean breathed deeply, almost moaning in amazement at the beauty of it all.  
  
"Come on," Cas said disinterestedly, leading him off the porch and to a circle of lawn chairs. He plopped into one and motioned for Dean to sit in the other. "Gabe isn't here to pitch a fit," he said. "Sorry about breakfast."  
  
Was Dean supposed to respond to that? He was just grateful to finally be able to get the strain off his chest and shoulders: his arms were still tightly secured behind him.  
  
"Honestly," Cas went on, glancing angrily back at the house. Mansion, Dean corrected in his mind. "Sometimes I don't know what gets into him."  
  
"He was texting someone," Dean blurted. He winced when Cas snapped his cold gaze to him. Why had he spoken?!  
  
"What do you mean?" Cas asked. "How do you know?"  
  
Dean swallowed and stared down at his feet. "Um, this morning," he said. "He brought his phone to the table and . . . . he smelled like, well, um, like—"  
  
"Spit it out," Cas ordered.  
  
Dean flushed. "He smelled like arousal."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
Good interesting or bad interesting? Dean peeked up just to check Cas's face: his scent hadn't betrayed him like Gabe's had. To his surprise, Cas didn't look angry at all. In fact, quite the opposite.  
  
Cas’s eyes were shining, and he leaned eagerly forward in his chair, elbows planted firmly on his knees. He was staring at Dean expectantly, mouth curving into a sly grin.  
  
"So tell me," he said. "What else could you smell?"


	7. A whole new fucking World

Cas had invented a brand new game. It was a fun game and he loved playing it. The rules were actually very simple. He would show Dean a room, and Dean would tell him what it smelled like and who had been there. It was great fun, and Cas was already enjoying himself. Dean looked a little embarrassed to be explaining everything he smelled, but Cas didn't really care. All that truly mattered, was that he now had a nose.  
  
It was surreal. He was experiencing something he hadn't been able to in two years. Of course, it wasn't the same as actually smelling, but now Cas didn't feel so blind.  
  
He dragged Dean around the house, having him scent all the cleaning betas and then doing it all over again. He giggled as he learned more about each one than he could have ever gained just by looking. He had forgotten what it was like to smell.  
  
And then he dragged Dean to the kitchen.  
  
He pulled different foods down from the cupboards, demanding that Dean describe what they smelled like. From spices to left overs to teas and coffees, Cas shoved container after container into Dean's face until they sat on the ground, surrounded by Tupperware, both exhausted.  
  
"Wow," Cas said, leaning back against the cupboards. He stared at the half unwrapped dark chocolate bar in his hands, grinning at it. Dean had described it as woody and fruity and sweet and bitter all at the same time. Cas was trying to imagine that for himself.  
  
Dean cleared his throat. "So, uh, you really can't smell?" he said.  
  
Cas shrugged and shook his head, setting the candy aside. "Yeah," he said, figuring there was no harm in the alpha knowing. Plus, it would explain Cas's actions for the past couple hours. "Car crash, head trauma, whatever. I'm not a doctor."  
  
Dean blinked at him, watching him closely. "Is it strange?" he asked.  
  
"A little," Cas said honestly. "I don't go out much. Gabe doesn't like it. I can't smell the difference between alphas and omegas and betas. Or emotions. I'm useless in conversations."  
  
"I don't think so," Dean said.  
  
Cas snorted. "Well, you're an alpha," he said without thinking. He felt guilty when he saw Dean flinch and turn his eyes to the ground. "I didn't mean it," he quickly tried to amend. "I mean, you _are_ an alpha but I didn't mean that it was bad, really. I mean, Gabe thinks you're dumb because you're an alpha. But you aren't! I mean, not because you're an alpha. Probably because you never went to school. I just meant that—"  
  
"It's fine," Dean said softly, still staring at the ground.  
  
Cas gritted his teeth. Yeah, definitely useless in conversations, that was him.  
  
"We should clean this up," Cas said, changing the topic. "Before Gabe gets back that is."  
  
Dean shifted uncomfortably. "Um," he said, rolling his shoulders awkwardly.  
  
Cas mentally face palmed. Could he get anymore stupid?! "Here," he said, motioning for Dean to turn around. "You won't, like, attack me or anything? Right?"  
  
"Of course not," Dean said with a snort. "You know alphas aren't all stupid and rut-driven, right?"  
  
Cas grunted, undoing the lacing on the brace. "Most of you are," he said. "Besides, I can't smell if you're lying. Or if you're going to attack me. I'm not paranoid."  
  
The last part was mostly reassurance for himself. Because the truth was, Cas was paranoid. He couldn't help but feel itchy and unsafe around Dean when he couldn't smell. Being unable to read the alpha by scent forced him to look at his face to try to gauge the emotions behind green eyes. And nine times out of ten he guessed the emotion wrong.  
  
"Well, most omegas are noncommittal and cruel," Dean said, the disdain clear in his voice.  
  
Cas stiffened and pulled away slightly. Dean sensed the changed—no, smelled it—and flinched in return.  
  
"Not you!" he quickly corrected. "That's not what I meant!"  
  
"I mean, obviously not me," Cas muttered moodily, going back to undoing the laces. "I must be different, huh?"  
  
Dean was staring at the ground, keeping his face turned away from Cas's, but the back of his neck went red as he blushed. "I didn't mean it," he mumbled.  
  
"Sure," Cas said, hating the way his fingers trembled as the last of the laces came loose. He carefully tugged them until Dean could wiggle free.  
  
The skin under the tight fabric was white and pinched from the binding, and Cas winced at his neglect. He should've thought of Dean's comfort. Even though he was an alpha, there was still a level of courtesy. Dean could've encountered permanent damage if Cas had made him sleep in the binders another night. And he hadn't been able to smell Dean's discomfort. He mentally cursed himself.  
  
"Sorry," he said, watching as Dean rubbed the blood flow back into his arms.  
  
Dean glanced up at him. "Why?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
Cas looked down at his hands. He took a deep breath. Let it out. Took another one. "I can't smell," he stated like an idiot. "I can't take care of you properly. I can't — I can't smell."  
  
That was the punchline, and he was the joke.  
  
"I think you're doing fine," Dean said.    
  
Cas looked up at him, expecting a mocking grin or a sneer. But Dean was only giving him an encouraging smile, keeping his gaze half on the ground and half on him. Dean surprised him with a small laugh as he began collecting all the food they had gotten out to put back in the cupboards.  
  
"But, I am just an alpha," he said. "What do I know?"  
  
Cas watched him for a moment, trying to gauge the seriousness of the statement. He didn't like the way Dean talked about himself as if he were lesser or stupid. But at the same time, he was right. He was an alpha, and even if Cas couldn't smell the difference, Dean was biologically, universally, different than him. And that was a fact. And Dean was fumbling with figuring out the proper places for everything.  
  
"Let me show you," Cas said, pushing himself to his feet and taking a couple of the items from Dean's hands. He had to admit, it was more useful to have an alpha with hands rather than an alpha without. The kitchen was clean in no time.  
  
"Now what?" Dean asked as they stared at the clean tile floor and pristine marble counters.  
  
"I want to go back outside," Cas said.  
  
He didn't wait for Dean's reply before hurrying off. Since Dean now had control of his arms, he could make his way around the house. On second thought, Cas didn't want to have an alpha roaming around without supervision. Stuff could get broken. And, selfishly, Cas didn't want his nose too far out of reach. So he slowed down and checked over his shoulder to make sure Dean was still there.  
  
He was.  
  
Cas didn't know why he cared.  
  
He felt slightly out of place going outside for the second time that day. Usually, Gabe wouldn't let him outside multiple times during a week let alone a day. Stepping back out into the sun was like getting super-charged with energy. Cas wanted to laugh and yell and run through the grass. But Dean was there, stoic and unsure how to act so Cas walked calmly to the lawn chairs and sat down. He had to admit, as Dean plopped down across from him, the alpha did look a lot more comfortable with his arms loose.  
  
"Is this what you normally do?" Dean asked, softly like he wasn't sure he was supposed to talk.  
  
"No," Cas said honestly. "Gabe doesn't usually allow me outside. He thinks I'm a hazard."  
  
Dean snorted. And then quickly cleared his throat to hide his amusement. He stared intently at his feet and Cas figured he was scared of offending him. Like a good alpha. Cas felt guilty.  
  
"I don't mind if you talk," he said. "I mean, it's better than sitting in silence, which is what I normally do. I got you for a reason."  
  
Dean glanced up at him and at the same time, his cheeks flushed a deep pink. "Oh," he said. "I figured I was for . . . . . . Well, alphas aren't valued for our conversation skills."  
  
Cas blushed too when he realized what Dean thought he would be doing. "Oh! No!" he said. "I'm not — I wouldn't — it was Gabe's idea to buy you mostly."  
  
"Oh," Dean said simply.  
  
Cas swallowed sharply, shifting his gaze to the fountain in the middle of the yard. With nothing else to say, he nodded at it. "I want to buy fish to live in the fountain," he said. "So I can feed them every day. They would be nice to watch."  
  
"Then why don't you?" Dean said. "I mean, it looks like you have enough money."  
  
"Gabe wouldn't want them," Cas said.  
  
Dean snorted. "Of course he wouldn't," he said and then quickly corrected himself. "I mean no disrespect! He is a kind omega for sponsoring me! I'm sure he has his reasons."  
  
"I don't mind," Cas said, actually smiling when Dean had spoken his mind without a filter. He sighed. "Gabe is like that."  
  
They sat in silence, staring at the fountain, listening to it bubble. The birds sang and the wind whistled through the tree leaves. Cas absentmindedly wished he could smell the flowers. Dean awkwardly cleared his throat.  
  
"You should buy the fish," he said.    
  
Cas looked to him in surprise as he hurried on.  
  
"I mean, if you want to, why not? You have the money don't you? Who cares what Gabe thinks? And if he gets angry—" His voice cracked a little but he coughed to cover the mistake. "You can just tell him it's my fault."  
  
Cas studied Dean carefully as the offer sank in. Dean would be willing to take the blame. What kind of person did that? Oh yeah, an alpha. Cas wondered if Gabe really would get angry if their fountain was populated with goldfish. Would he whip Dean? Beat him? Cuff him up and chain him outside like a disobedient dog? All of that seemed like Gabe. He was more of a . . . . . traditionalist when it came to alpha and omega standings.  
  
"I wouldn't let that happen," Cas said.  
  
Dean snorted but didn't say anything else. Like he didn't believe Cas. Without meaning to, Cas felt a small twinge of burning anger in his stomach. Dean shifted which probably meant that he could smell the difference of Cas's scent. Meaning he knew Cas was angry and probably thought he was angry at him. He sighed.  
  
"Let's go buy the fish," he said.  
  
Dean jerked up in surprise. "Really?!" he said. "How?"  
  
"We go out," Cas said decisively. "Obviously. I'm sure a taxi driver knows pet stores or at least some place to get goldfish."  
  
Dean didn't stand up at all.  
  
"Can I stay — I don't wanna — I want to stay home," he said.  
  
Cas frowned. "No," he said before he could think the reaction through. "You have to come." Dean was his nose.  
  
Dean shrunk in his seat, wrapping his arms around his bare chest. His cheeks went back to a bright red, and it struck Cas why Dean didn't want to go outside. And it made him go red too.  
  
"I'll get you clothes," he said stupidly.  
  
Dean still didn't look at him. "I still don't want to go," he mumbled.  
  
Cas frowned and put his hands on his hips. He did his best to conjure up a commanding voice that would make Dean obey. "If you don't come willingly, I'll get the leash."    
  
Dean actually glared at him. "I would probably have to wear it anyway," he said. "Because I'm a _vicious_ alpha. Remember?"  
  
Cas frowned harder, sucking in a sharp breath.    
  
He wasn't quite sure what to do. It wasn't like he could force Dean to do anything. He was shorter, and less muscle-y, and would probably pee his pants if Dean even so much as moved toward him. He took a step back, nervously wringing his hands. He squared back his shoulders and stood as tall as he could make himself.  
  
"Please," he said.  
  
Dean jerked his gaze up, frowning. He looked so angry that Cas took another step back, scared Dean would attack. He kept his eyes on Dean’s hands as they fidget in his lap, and on his mouth and teeth which would be the most dangerous in a fight.  
  
"What?" Dean asked. He didn't attack.  
  
"Please," Cas repeated. He was pretty sure his knees were knocking together. "Please go into the house and I will get you clothes."  
  
Dean didn't move. "The leash?"  
  
Cas swallowed. "It is the law," he said. "But, it won't be tight. And I won't yank of it. It'll be for show."  
  
Dean paused. And finally nodded. "Fine," he said and stood.  
  
Cas was finally able to relax once Dean had on his harness. His arms were firmly restrained behind his back, and Cas contemplated muzzling him too. But Dean was already glaring at him, so Cas settled for a collar and a thin leash. He helped Dean into a loose pair of sweatpants and then a loose sweatshirt that he zipped up over the harness. Then, carefully, he coaxed Dean out of the room and to the lobby, where he grabbed shoes for them both. He didn't want to tug on Dean too hard, but he also didn't want to walk too slowly. He was already on edge from going outside.  
  
Outside.  
  
Cas still couldn't quite believe it. He was going out of the house in the first time in — dare he say years? What would it be like in the middle of a giant crowd? Would he be able to handle the hustle and bustle? Would Dean be able to relay smells or would that be awkward in the chaos of everything?  
  
Cas took a deep breath and opened the front door, stepping out onto the front porch of his house. Dean was close behind him, huffing nervously through his nose, shifting from foot to foot, tugging unconsciously on the leash. Cas did his best to ignore him and to focus on how foreign and amazing everything felt.  
  
It was like walking into a whole new fucking world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cas, Dean, and Gabe all come from a fucked up society, I know. They act like assholes now because that's all they really know. They have to work through layers of ingrained prejudice (sexism??) and strict social rules and everything that was taught to them growing up. I know they are all mean and jerks to each other, I know that the society is weird and flopped and warped. All I can say is that they will get better, although it may take a bit ^-^ everyone is very confused and lost


	8. No Idea What to Do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cas tries a traditional approach to dealing with Dean, it doesn't go well, everyone is confused, and nobody is happy

Cas had forgotten about the world.  
  
He had forgotten about the hustle and bustle of the sidewalks, the heat that radiated off of cars, and about all the different faces he could see. He had forgotten what walking into a store felt like and what it felt like riding in the back of a taxi. He had forgotten that there was life outside of his cold, unforgiving house and outside the supervision of Gabe. Stupid protective omega instincts.  
  
But Cas was here now, with Dean an obedient two steps behind him, muttering “Alpha,” “Omega,” or “Beta” under his breath at every person they passed. And Cas was able to react accordingly, greeting the omegas and betas with smiles and nods and hellos and giving the alphas only the briefest of glances or nothing at all. And they returned his greetings and didn't give any strange looks and life was starting to be good. Cas could act like he belonged.  
  
He found the pet store easily enough. And from there, he found the large goldfish. But then he was distracted by the koi which came in more colors and looked prettier. He had his face inches from the glass, trying to choose four or five that he wanted, when Dean tugged on his leash.  
  
"Alpha and omega," he mumbled.  
  
Cas looked up, panicking a little when he saw the two workers walking toward him. A girl with frizzy brown hair and blue eyes and a shorter guy with curly blonde hair and brown eyes. They both wore the store's uniform. Cas didn't have the time to ask Dean which was which before they were next to him.  
  
"Looking for anything in particular?" the girl said. Cas decided to go out on a limb and guess that she was the omega. (It also helped that the guy was already eyeing Dean up and down, giving him tentative sniffs.)  
  
"Fish," Cas said stupidly. The mentally kicked himself. "I'm looking for goldfish to put in a pond," he corrected.  
  
The girl didn't react to his awkward attempt at conversation. She only beamed and pointed back to the tank he had been staring at. "Then koi fish are definitely a good choice," she said. "They tend to be hardier than normal goldfish because they are technically domesticated carp."  
  
Cas nodded as if he understood what she was talking about. "How many do you suggest?" he asked.  
  
"It depends on how big your pond is," the girl replied. "But I would suggest a decent amount. They're pretty social and are much prettier in schools."  
  
Cas was going to ask another question when Dean yelped loudly and jumped into him, nearly knocking him over. He bared his teeth at the other alpha and flexed against his harness, puffing out his chest in an obvious display of aggression. The push had been unexpected, but Cas hadn't been expecting Dean to actually lash out.  
  
"Dean!" Cas snapped, giving the leash a sharp tug.  
  
"He was trying to scent me!" Dean snapped, still eyeing the other alpha warily.  
  
The other alpha didn't look guilty in the slightest, only meekly stepping to his omega's side and narrowing his eyes at Dean.  
  
"Bad Felix!" the omega said, pulling a remote out of her pocket.  
  
Immediately, the alpha looked contrite, crossing his legs and whimpering as his hands fidgeted. Like he wanted to clutch his balls but wasn't allowed to touch. The omega gave him a stern look and punched a button. The alpha yelped and then did grab his balls, hunching himself down so he was smaller.  
  
"Sorry," the omega said. "Felix has a bad habit of scenting alphas. That's all he's interested in." She gave Felix another glare. "Worthless as a stud. Won't even give omegas a second sniff. We're still looking to breed him though."  
  
Cas felt Dean stiffen at the explanation. He didn't have to be able to smell to know he was uncomfortable. Instead of trying to continue on that topic, he tapped the glass of the tank.  
  
"I'll take seven," he said. "Please."  
  
"Of course," the omega said, not at all offset by the previous conversation. "Felix, go get the clear plastic carrying bags."  
  
Felix nodded meekly and hurried off down the aisle, hands still fidgeting between his legs. The omega didn't give him — or Dean for that matter — a second glance as she turned all her attention to Cas.  
  
"As soon as Felix comes back we can scoop out the ones you want," she said. "Do you have a color scheme in mind?"  
  
"Oh, no," Cas said. "I just want the fish."  
  
"Well, don't forget to pick up food," she said. "And we're also having a sale on alpha toys."  
  
Cas knew she was obligated to tell him about current specials in the store and he couldn't help but nod and smile along, doing his best to feign interest. Maybe he feigned a little too well because after he got the bags of koi all set in a carrying box and that box strapped carefully around Dean's neck, he found himself standing in an aisle, listening to the omega talk about the various alpha toys they had as she pointed each one out.  
  
"This one is especially good," she said, selecting a small tangle of ropes from a box. She held it up to Dean's crotch. "Vibrations, small shocks, and pulsing, it keeps my alpha busy for hours."  
  
Cas wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to that. He didn't know how to politely decline so he nodded and smiled. He didn't even know how to say no when the omega asked if he wanted to buy it, so into the basket it went. Dean shifted from foot to foot, careful not to disturb the fish.  
  
"Are you looking to train him in anything specific?" the omega asked.  
  
Um, no. Was Cas allowed to say that? How did he tell the omega he only wanted the fish and the fish food, nothing else. He glanced through the aisle, looking for the least sexual thing. Mouth, dick, hole, blindfolds, harnesses.  
  
"Chest," he decided on. That sounded the least sexual of them all.  
  
The omega lit up as she led him over to the selection. "Oh, yes," she said. "The chest is a great place to start with wayward alphas."  
  
Before Cas could blink, she had talked him into buying a set of training suction cups, a set of clamps and weights, and a tube of lotion that she added with a wink and a promise that Cas would "love the way it'll make your alpha squirm." Cas watched her move about with slight confusion as she shifted through all the toys.    
  
"Don't alphas just have to stimulate their knot?" he asked as the omega added an open mouth gag with a tongue depressor to his basket.  
  
"Oh that's just for breeding," the omega said. "There are plenty of ways for an alpha to be stimulated for an omega's pleasure. It's always good to remind them of who's in charge."  
  
Cas looked to Dean, wondering what he thought of the conversation. He forgot about him a lot since he couldn't smell and always seemed to forget that he had to actually look at Dean to see what he was feeling. Dean was completely red and staring at his shoes, chewing his bottom lip so hard Cad was scared he would draw blood. Maybe he shouldn't have let the omega force all the extra stuff on him.  
  
"Do you need any training plugs?" she asked.  
  
This time, Cas shook his head firmly. "No," he said, maybe even a little too harsh.  
  
The omega didn't seem to mind. "Alright then, let's get you checked out at the front."  
  
As she rang in all their items, Cas noticed Felix peeking around one of the shelves, eyes locked on Dean. One of his hands was down his pants. Cas grimaced but decided against saying anything, only mentally urging the omega to work a little faster so they could leave even quicker. Finally, everything was in a bag and ready to go. Cas swiped his card and watched as the money transferred. Then, as quickly as he could without rushing Dean, he hurried back to the street and flagged down a taxi so they could go home.  
  
Dean didn't say anything while they drove. Cas didn't say anything either. He felt awkward knowing the contents of the bag at his feet. Of course, no one else really cared. This is what alphas were for: if not hard labor, than for the pleasure of omegas. It was common and obvious, and Dean shouldn't be embarrassed by serving Cas. Yeah, that's what it was. It was Dean's fault. The only reason Cas felt bad was because he could see how embarrassed Dean was by it all. He couldn't smell it, but he could see it. So he purposefully looked away and focused on making sure the kois’ water wasn't sloshing too much. He promptly paid the driver once they had arrived home and then helped Dean unload everything.

“I think we should settle the fish first,” Cas said. The plastic bags hung from his arms as he led Dean back to the backyard. Dean still carried the fish.

“Leash?” Dean asked quietly.

“Just wait,” Cas said with a frown.

He left the bags on the patio chairs and carefully relieved Dean of the fish, setting them down on the ground. Then he unclipped the leash, even helped Dean out of his sweatshirt and harness. Dean gratefully rolled his shoulders and then stooped to pick up the fish, easier this time because he could use his hands.

“Careful!” Cas said, even though Dean was moving slowly and deliberately. He followed close behind as the alpha carried the fish to the fountain.

Dean set it down again and reached for one of the bags but Cas slapped his wrist. “I want to do it,” he said.

“Geez, okay,” Dean said, shrinking back.

Cas narrowed his eyes but didn’t comment. He gently selected one of the bags, lifting in and undoing the top of the bags. With as much care as he could muster, he tipped the fish into the fountain. It thrashed briefly before darting off out of reach. Cas watched, mystified. He had never seen fish up close before, he realized. Quickly, he chose another and dumped it in as well.

“Go get the food,” he told Dean. “I want to feed them.”

Dean obeyed without a word, and Cas dumped in more fish. He had them all free and swimming by the time Dean returned. He could’ve gotten more than seven, he realized. Maybe they could go back tomorrow. Cas snatched the tub of fish flakes from Dean and unscrewed it, sprinkling a pinch into the water. The koi quickly snapped up the food so Cas did it again and again until he realized the Dean was fidgeting next to him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Why did you get all that . . . stuff?” he asked.

Cas frowned. “What stuff?” he said.

“The _stuff_ ,” Dean repeated. “The omega, she kept offering it and you didn’t say no.”

“The toys?” Cas said.

“They’re not toys, they’re torture devices,” Dean said.

Cas rolled his eyes. “The omega said you would like them,” he said. Dean was overreacting. Just like an alpha would. He didn’t understand that Cas was helping him.

“I think I know what I like and dislike,” Dean said. “I don’t need some _omega_ to decide for me.”

Cas narrowed his eyes and stood. “An alpha should keep their mouth shut,” he said, thinking back to the times Gabe had interacted with alphas. How did he handle rebellion and alphic attitude?

Dean stood too, throwing back his shoulders. “This alpha isn’t going to—”

“What?” Cas said, surprising even himself. “You won’t obey? Then Gabe will send you back to the Facility. Do you want _that_? He bought you before you went through servicing training; do you want to go back to learn _that_?”

Dean immediately shrunk back at the threat, but the defiance didn’t leave his eyes. His jaw locked up, and Cas swore he heard a growl rising from Dean’s throat. Suddenly, he couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t know how to control this beast. He didn’t have Dean’s respect and it would be hard to earn that when Dean didn’t realize his place. And suddenly he couldn’t stand the fact that Dean thought he could talk back -- to _growl_ at him -- without consequence.

“Down!” he ordered stiffly.

“What?” Dean said, confused by Cas’s sudden shift in demeanor.

“I said _down_ ,” Cas repeated, this time pointing to the ground.

Dean wrinkled his nose and after a moment of hesitation, obeyed, dropping to his knees.

“Stay,” Cas ordered before walking back to patio chairs. He scooped up the plastic bags and shuffled through them, trying to decide between the items, trying to figure with one would be best for Dean. He glanced over his shoulder at the alpha.

The gag would stop him from talking back. Now, Cas regretted not taking the store omega up on all her offers. He pulled out the crotch harness and then the nipple clamps and small suction cups. Little things he never thought he would use and now he just wanted to see Dean squirm and acknowledge his place, where he was supposed to be: beneath Cas. Finally, he turned back to where the alpha was waiting for him.

“Come,” he said, leading the way inside.

Dean followed, meekly staying on his hands and knees. It took him a while, but Cas was more than happy to wait. He led the way back to his bedroom, setting the toys on the bed, and ordered Dean to strip. Dean gritted his teeth but obeyed. He wiggled out of his sweatpants and then tossed them aside, sitting like a good alpha should with his knees spread and hands clasped behind his back. He kept his eyes down but Cas caught his glint of hatred.

“I’m going to show you where you belong,” he said. “Since you don’t seem to understand where that is.”

“I am already at your feet,” Dean said softly. Cas could hear his snarl.

He grabbed the gag and stepped forward, tapping Dean’s chin so that he would raise his head. “Open,” he said and slipped the ring of metal between Dean’s teeth. The depressor was a wide, metal fin that pressed Dean’s tongue down, preventing him from forming even half-words. Dean grunted.  

Cas studied him curiously, not quite completely sure what he was doing. He had never interacted with an alpha, not like this. The most he had even done was nods at the grocery stores or maybe the odd word or two at social events. This was all when he could smell though, and the spices and sweets of an alpha’s musk was a luxury to breathe in. This was when he and other omegas would tease and joke about their alpha waiters, making jokes about knots and hard muscles. Now, Cas didn’t have any of that. He couldn’t smell, he didn’t attend social events, he didn’t have other omega friends, and the way Dean was whimpering before him made him feel nothing.

He could see the way Dean reacted, dick half hard between his legs and saliva starting to drip down his chin as the gag made it hard to swallow. His green eyes pleaded for mercy, for Cas to reconsider whatever he was going to do. Of course, _now_ he was obedient and compliant. Cas wanted him to stay that way. He selected the tube of cream from his pile and studied the label. He wasn’t quite sure what it would do but the instructions told him to use gloves for application. A little unsure, he got latex gloves from the bathroom and squeezed a little out onto his fingers.

It was a pale green and didn't smell like anything. The label read “Alpha Irritant.” Dean was shivering as Cas rubbed a little onto his chest, swirling his nipples. He cocked his head as Dean shivered and whimpered and started squirming.

“You're as sensitive as an omega,” Cas commented, which only seemed to make Dean's dick harden more.  

Dean grunted as the cream presumably began to kick in, thrusting his chest out, trying to rub it on something. He was inches away from all out humping Cas's legs. Drool was starting to drip down his chin from the gag.

Cas watched him with his head cocked to the side. “Does it itch?” he asked. Dean whined and nodded. “Does it burn?” Dean nodded again, his eyes watering.

Cas sat back on the bed and watched as Dean waddled forward on his knees. Cas let him nose his way between his thighs. He wasn’t entirely sure what the alpha was trying to do but let him continue. He didn’t _feel_ anything, not really, even when Dean mouthed at his crotch, soaking the fabric with his saliva. He was doing his best for having his tongue pinned. Finally, Cas got bored from watching him and pushed his head away, a little irritated that he would have to change his pants now. Dean whined as Cas stepped away, pressing his chest forward, still chasing relief. Curious, Cas obliged him, brushing his fingers over Dean’s nipples and listening to him groan in appreciation. He continued to rub under he realized Dean was slowly rocking himself against his pant leg, leaving streaks of liquid. Pre-cum Cas realized with a turn of his stomach. He jerked away.

“No!” he said. “Bad alpha!”

Dean whimpered at the loss of contact, trying to waddle after him, pleading with his eyes.

Cas scrambled away, climbing onto his bed and scooting all the way up to the head. When Dean tried to climb after him, he threw a pillow at him and burrowed under the blankets.

“Not allowed on the furniture,” he said, peeking out as Dean cowered on the floor. “ _No_ alphas on the furniture.”

Dean whined and pressed his mouth against the blankets, drooling on them. Cas narrowed his eyes and tugged them up closer to his feet so that Dean couldn’t get them dirty. They stayed where they were for a while until Cas was sure Dean wouldn’t attack him or try to breed him. Even then, Cas was careful to crawl out of the other side of the bed and kept an eye on Dean as he tiptoed over to his dresser.

“You ruined my pants,” he said and he pulled them off, quickly choosing another pair and pulled them on. He looked back at Dean, studying the way the alpha had pressed himself against the floor.

His hands were still clasped behind his back and he was still on his knees, but now he had his forehead pressed against the floor, hiding his face. He looked very small and very sorry. Cas wrinkled his nose. Dean was probably faking it.

“Don’t move,” Cas warned, slowly making his way around Dean and to the door. “Stay.” He slipped out the door, wracking his brain as to where he had left the harness Dean had arrived in. He also wondered how fast he could order something like full body restraints or a cage that would contain an alpha or just some way to stop Dean from _moving_. Even now, the thought of Dean being free was enough to make his skin crawl.

He found both the harness and the cock cage outside, where he had left them from when they had come home. Cas snatched them both up and hurried back to his room, relieved to find Dean in the exact same place he left him. Almost exact. He was rubbing his nipples furiously, panting and groaning and didn’t even notice Cas right away he was so caught up.

“Stop,” Cas said. Dean’s head snapped up and he immediately froze. He whimpered and slowly returned his hands to behind his back.

As quick as he could, Cas slipped the harness around his chest, tightening all the straps and fixing them where they needed to be. Dean didn’t even resist when Cas forced his arms elbow to elbow and secured them tight. Cas retreated with a shaky breath once he was sure it was tight enough. Dean was still whimpering and twitching his chest but Cas wasn’t ready to touch him again.

“Okay, stand,” Cas said.

Dean grunted as he struggled to his feet without the use of his arms but he did make it. His dick bobbed between his legs, still hard. Cas could see the deep red at the base that would swell to be the knot. He shuddered and looked down at the cock cage in his hands, then he gulped. How was he supposed to get _that_ into _there_? He frowned.

“Don’t bite,” he said, stepping back toward Dean. He undid the clasp of the gag and eased it out of Dean’s mouth.

Immediately the alpha swallowed gratefully, cleaning his lips with quick swipes of his tongue. He was shivering at the sight of the cage, his muscles twitching under Cas’s fingers. Cas was wary of his every move, each second waiting for the alpha to lunge at him. Dean didn’t, and Cas swallowed nervously in preparation for the next step. He was debating just what he had to do to make Dean’s dick go back down when the alpha spoke.

  
“Please, don’t,” he whispered quietly. “Cas, I won’t do anything--”

Cas shivered at hearing the alpha say his name. “I am Omega,” he said. “You aren’t allowed to call me Cas.” He watched Dean’s throat bob as he swallowed.

“Omega, please, I’ll be good, please, no more,” he begged.

Cas thought about it and finally stepped away, setting the cage aside. As Dean relaxed, he picked up the leash. “But you have to wear this instead,” he said.

Dean didn’t protest, only tipped his head back and let Cas clip it to his collar. He was holding back tears, obviously, but Cas chose not to comment. Dean was just faking to get him to stop, and Cas wasn’t going to buy it. He glanced back at the pile of supplies still sitting on the bed and wondering if any of it could be used to restrain Dean. Not really.

In the end, Cas opted to tying the leash firmly to the piping under the sink in the bathroom. This way, Dean was in a completely other room from the bed and Cas could at least try to relax. Dean didn’t look exactly happy sitting on the cold tiles but Cas shrugged that off. He could deal with it for the night until he found someplace better. He was going to turn off the lights and shut the door for the night when Dean coughed and spoke.

“O-omega,” he said quietly.

Cas cringed at how weak and scared he sounded, knowing that it was his fault Dean felt that way. “Yes,” he said, trying to at least sound a little friendlier.

“I - I’m sorry, Omega,” Dean said. “Please forgive me, I - I don’t know what I did wrong.”  

Cas rolled his eyes. Of course a stupid alpha didn’t understand. They didn’t understand anything but sex and breeding. “This is a punishment,” he explained, still struggling to keep his tone soft. “You need to learn your place.”

Dean sniffed. “I’m sorry, Omega,” he murmured. “I’ll be good. I promise.”

Cas nodded, even though the lights were off and Dean couldn’t see his face. “Good alpha,” he said. “But . . . but tonight you sleep in here. Until—” Until when? How long would it take for Cas to trust Dean to sleep without his leash. “Until tomorrow,” he settled on, not even sure if he believed his own lie. He took a deep breath. “Goodnight.” Then he shut the door and let Dean fall asleep.

 


	9. A Long Day

Dean wanted to cry, and the moment Cas shut the bathroom door, he did, letting the hot tears trickle down his cheeks. He didn't sob, didn't want Cas to hear him and get more annoyed, just let the tears fall silently. He figured out that if he brought his knees up, he could rub his chest on them and get at least a little relief.

He was struggling to read Cas and it was frustrating. Dean had even lowered himself to offering to suck Cas's dick, and what had he done?! Cas had complained about his pants!! Dean wanted to growl but held himself back. Cas hadn't even _smelled_ like he wanted Dean. He smelled disinterested and passive, like he didn't even care. Dean sniffed, aware of how pathetic he sounded.

He was trying to understand what Cas did and didn't want. Dean figured he would be like most omegas, and most omegas liked when alphas were hard and leaking because of them. Most omegas liked when alphas whimpered and whined and offered to suck their dicks. Most omegas actually _cared_ when playing with their alphas.

Cas didn't.

Dean wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. _Not_ get hard when Cas paid him even the smallest attention?! Why had he been bought if not for pleasure? Dean sighed and tipped his head back against the sink, wincing at discomfort. At least it was just for tonight. That's what Cas had said, then again, how did Dean know Cas wasn't lying?

The thoughts swirled around Dean's head over and over. Trying to think through Cas's actions. Wondering what he could do to avoid punishment in the future. Hating the fact that he had to spend the night in the cold bathroom while Cas got to sleep in a warm bed. Frustrated that his chest still burned slightly. Annoyed that he was still embarrassingly hard between his legs. And that's how he fell asleep, restlessly and spitefully.

He was startled awake the next morning when Cas flicked the lights on and cleared his throat. Dean was still trying to orientate himself when Cas untied the leash and tugged him up, barely waiting for Dean to get his feet underneath him.

“You have to get out,” he said. “I need to shower.”

Dean snorted but let Cas kick him out. He was sat down at the end of the bed with the firm order to stay as Cas locked himself in the bathroom. Dean listened to the shower run for a bit and tried to get a couple more minutes of sleep, but he was too awake. At least the lotion or whatever had worn off and he felt much better. He studied the room while he waited.

Cas was a neat person, and every space was clean. The shelf was completely stocked with books but the spines were all blank. There were a couple potted plants sitting in the corners on the floor and a desk pushed up against the wall near the one window of the room but the top was empty except for a cup of pencils and pens and a desk lamp. All in all, it looked like a regular omegian room. Dean flinched when Cas walked out of the bathroom, and the billow of shampoo-smelling soap made him sneeze. Cas gave him an odd look but that was all before moving to the dresser and quickly changing. Dean studied his stiff muscles and caught the unmistakable scent of ginger that made his tongue curl. At least he knew Cas was still scared of him although Dean wasn’t sure if that was good or not. He waited until Cas was fully clothed before attempting to speak.

“Omega?” he said, softly, not sure how Cas would react, especially if he was still scared. Nearly immediately, Cas's scent changed to lemon sour.

“You don't have to call me that,” he said, actually walking over to where Dean was sitting.

Dean kept his eyes on the ground, not sure if he was supposed to believe Cas or if it was a trap. He swallowed carefully. “I'm sorry, Omega,” he said. “About last night. I didn't mean to do anything —”

“I don't want to talk about it,” Cas snapped.

Dean gulped. Not talking was fine with him. Cas seemed to be up and down anyway. No talking meant there was a less a chance of him getting angry. And Dean certainly didn't want him angry so he snapped his mouth shut and let Cas take charge. _Like a good little alpha._

“We're going to breakfast,” Cas said, walking back over to his dresser. “And you have to wear your cage, no negotiations.”

Dean nodded meekly and spread his legs when Cas walked back toward him. It was embarrassing, to offer himself up so quickly. Like some sort of slut. It made Dean's cheeks burn.

Cas worked quickly, slipping the cage on and touching Dean as little as he could. And once it was on, he stepped away with an obvious shudder which made Dean feel even worse himself. He closed his legs and tried to ignore the way Cas didn’t want to touch him, like he wasn’t good enough. It hurt the alpha side of him and confused the logic side of him.

“Come on,” Cas said, already heading to the door.

Dean didn’t want to go outside the room naked but had no choice as Cas continued on, barely waiting for him. He scrambled to his feet and hurried after. His shoulders ached from sleeping in the harness but his comfort wasn’t important at the moment.

Gabe was already at the table when he and Cas walked in, idly reading something off his phone. He glanced up at Cas, eyes drifting then to Dean and he raised his eyebrows.

“I see you’re coping well, Cas,” he said.

Cas grunted and sat down, collecting a plate and piling on food. Dean awkwardly hovered around him until deciding he should probably be on his knees at Cas’s feet. He sunk down and waited for Cas to tell him what to do.

“Has he been obedient so far?” Gabe asked, still trying to strike up a conversation.

Cas kept staring at his plate. “I'm gonna need a cage,” he said. “He needs a place for the night.” He ate another bite of eggs. “And whenever I don't. . . . . need him.”

Gabe thought about it for a bit, chewing on a sausage. “What about a display case?” he finally said.

Cas raised an eyebrow.

“Like a cage that'll hold him when you don't need him,” Gabe explained. “But it still keeps him on display, you know? Like a glass front and adjustable restraints and whatever.” He shrugged. “Or you could get just get a regular dog cage.”

Dean shuddered to think of the display case. Reduced to fucking art. Why did his life have to come to this? _How_ had it come to this? He flinched when Cas set a plate of fruit in front of him, jarring him out of his thoughts. Cas's fingertips brushed against the top of his head in a brief pet, like Dean was an animal. Dean swallowed back a scowl and bent to start eating. He didn't know what would happen if he didn't eat now. Maybe Cas was the kind of omega who wouldn't feed him if he didn't eat. Dean wasn't about to risk it so he quickly chewed and swallowed all the squares.

“I don't want to take care of him today,” Cas declared.

Dean had two chunks left and nearly choked.

“What?” Gabe said, sound and smelling just as confused as Dean.

“The alpha,” Cas said, and Dean felt his stomach twist. He wasn't even worthy of a name. “I have a lot to do today and I don't want to deal with him.”

Gabe wrinkled his nose. “I have a lot of paperwork,” he said. “But I guess he could stay in my office.”

“Good,” Cas said. Without another word and without a glance in Dean's direction, he pushed his chair out and hurried out of the room.

Dean shivered when he felt Gabe's eyes on him and focused on eating the last cube of fruit on his plate. He sat quietly, listening to Gabe finish his own food. He jumped when the omega called his name.

“Come, alpha,” Gabe said, stretching leisurely as he stood and strode out of the room.

Dean scrambled to his feet and hurried after him.

Gabe was different than Cas, Dean could tell that already. Gabe didn’t tiptoe around Dean; he made Dean tiptoe around him. He could smell Dean just as Dean could smell him and probably wouldn’t make the bumbling mistakes that Cas did. Dean wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

Gabe had an office filled with heavy furniture, all made out of wood and smelling like cleaner chemicals. He had bookshelves like Cas but his were filled with pictures of him shaking hands with people in suits, of him at fancy restaurants with more people in suits, of him on golf courses and more suits, of him holding up the antlers of a deer on some sort of hunting trip. Yes, much different than Cas.

Gabe flopped down behind a huge desk covered in more pictures. A laptop already sat open, a screen saver bouncing off the edge. Dean noticed one of the pictures showed Gabe and another man posing by a stage. It was washed out quality and obviously snapped quickly. Gabe and the man were making lewd gestures at the camera, and in the background was a man dressed in practically nothing. The A hanging from his collar marked him as alpha. Dean swallowed. A stripper alpha. Gabe and the man were at an alphic strip club. Dean looked purposefully away, shivering as Gabe spread his legs.

“An alpha’s place,” he said slowly, pulling a phone out of his pocket. “Is at his omega’s feet. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Dean gulped. “Yes, sir,” he mumbled, quickly dropping to his knees and shuffling forward to press his cheek against Gabe’s knee.

“I want to talk,” Gabe said, stroking his jaw. “And you are allowed to talk as long as you are honest and respectful. Alright?”

Dean nodded, doing his best not to lean away from Gabe's touch.

“As you know,” Gabe went on. “You are a gift to Cas. To help him. For him to experiment with. You know the details by now?”

Dean nodded. Gabe moved his fingers from his jaw to the top of his head.

“Cas doesn't know how to discipline and train,” he said. Dean wanted to contradict him on that point. “That is what I will be doing mostly. Know that even if Cas lets you get away with subpar behavior, I will be watching to make sure you perform at the peak of your ability.”

Dean shivered.

“I know you didn't get a lot of training at the Facility but I expect your best. The longer you stay here, the more you'll understand the schedules and rules and the more you'll be able to help.”

Dean shifted on his knees, clearing his throat, glancing to Gabe for permission to speak. The omega raised an eyebrow and nodded.

“Cas hasn’t given me any rules,” Dean said, quickly adding a respectful, “Omega, sir.”

“Well then,” Gabe said, rubbing his nose, making Dean squeeze his eyes closed. “I guess that’s where we’ll start, huh?”

He shifted his seat so that Dean’s face was crushed against his crotch, and Dean’s senses were flooded with the smell of aroused omega. His mouth watered and he mouthed at the fabric without thinking, wanting to get a taste. The smell went immediately to his head, fuzzing over his senses, making him desperate.

“This,” Gabe said. “Is rule number one.”

Dean was barely listening. He was already drunk on Gabe’s smell and any logic thought flew out the window. All he could think about was how it would feel like to pin the omega on his desk and fuck the attitude out of him until he was as helpless as he should be. His knot throbbed in its cage, doing its best to swell but not getting very far. It hurt, every heartbeat a stinging pain that shot up from his crotch. Dean growled without thinking, wondering if he could tear the device off with enough force.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Gabe said, undoing the button of his pants. He raised his hips as he tugged both his pants and boxers down and his scent his Dean full force.

Any thoughts of how wrong this was, or how he wasn't supposed to be on his knees, or how pathetic he looked were gone in an instant. Without hesitating, Dean leaned forward, desperate to get a taste of the slick on his tongue. He nosed his way past Gabe's balls, down to his hole, and started licking.

It was like candy on his tongue, or at least what Dean imagined candy to taste like. Sweeter than anything he had ever tasted before and mouthwateringly good. He wanted more and more and _more_. He groaned as he licked, nosing his way deeper and closer so that the only thing he could smell was Gabe and that was the only thing that mattered.

He was dimly aware that Gabe had a tight hold on his hair, pressing his face close. His thighs wrapped around Dean’s head and his ankles crossed on his shoulders, straddling his face. He was panting just as much as Dean.

“Good boy,” he muttered. “Ah, yes, good boy. Good alpha.”

Dean delved his tongue deeper, eager for the taste, lusting for it, growling in pleasure in the knowledge that it was him making Gabe feel this way. It was his fault Gabe was so wet. He relished in that small amount of personal power. He was trying to get hard again, his knot throbbing almost painfully. It was kept trapped and deflated by the cage which made it ache all the more harshly. Dean could ignore the pain though, as he was focused on licking up Gabe's sweet, sweet slick.

Gabe suddenly fisted a hand in his hair and yanked his head up, shoving his dick into Dean's mouth instead. Dean sucked automatically before his mind caught up with him but by that time it was too late. Gabe spilled into his mouth with a groan, throwing his head back as his clutched Dean's head to keep him in place.

Omega cum was much different than slick. Instead a sweet, cloying taste that lingered briefly on his tongue, there was an acidic, bitter burn that stuck to his teeth and pooled in his throat. Dean automatically gagged and tried to pull away, but Gabe held him tight until he was forced to swallow. Then, and only then, did Gabe let him fall back, watching disinterestedly as Dean coughed and choked at the residue left over.

“Good alpha,” he said, eyes already drooping in that post-orgasm lull.

Dean whimpered, already wanting more of the taste of slick but when he tried to nose his way back between Gabe’s legs, he was shoved away. His knot throbbed and his throat burned and his eyes watered. He was left completely unsatisfied.

“That's enough,” Gabe said. “But I'm glad you're eager.”

Now, Dean was even more confused. So Gabe wanted him sexually but Cas didn't. But Gabe didn't want him a lot, just a little. Just enough. Dean scowled at the pain slowly — _very_ slowly — disappearing from between his legs. He imagined pining Gabe on his desk and fucking deep into his hole. How good would it feel to rip the cage off and finally get some sort of relief. At least at the camps he had been allowed to jerk himself to completion. Here, he wasn't even allowed to touch. His shoulders flexed, unconsciously testing the strength of his bonds.

“Careful,” Gabe said, watching him with an amused smile. “You were being _so good_.” His tone was so taunting, it was infuriating. Gabe lifted his hips slightly to tug his pants and underwear back up, tucking himself away, and relaxed with a sigh. “Tell me about Cas,” he said.

Dean cocked his head, confused, and cleared his throat, hating that the burn lingered but the sweetness didn't. “What do you mean?” he said. “Sir?”

“How has he reacted to your presence?” Gabe asked. “How does he deal with an alpha following him around everywhere?” He turned to his desk and opened a laptop, starting to type as Dean carefully considered an answer.

“Good,” he settled on.

“Honesty,” Gabe reminded without looking away from his screen.

Dean swallowed. “It's strange,” he admitted. “It’s. . . . . hard to understand Cas sometimes.” He winced, waiting for some sort of smack that would come as a punishment for misspeaking. It didn't come.

“That's to be expected,” Gabe mused, tripping away on the laptop. “He hasn't been out of the house in ages.”

Because you kept him here, Dean wanted to accuse. He kept his mouth wisely shut, shifted from knee to knee, and did his best not to breathe through his nose so he could ignore his knot.

“Well now,” Gabe said, lacing his fingers and stretching his arms out. “I figured it wouldn't take Cas long to take an interest in you seeing that he doesn't have very much of anyone else.” He glanced down at Dean, running his eyes over the straps of the harness. “Better to get you more comfortable items as soon as possible. Can't have you breaking down after a couple weeks.”

Breaking down. Like he was a machine or a toy. And Dean was. That was his purpose now. And with some sick twisted logic, having . . . “toys” would make this all a lot more comfortable, although Dean wasn’t too quick to admit it. He rolled his shoulders experimentally, hating the way his knees were already starting to ache. He wondered if Gabe would let him shift into a more comfortable position anytime soon.

“I think I will go with a display case,” Gabe muttered, more to himself than to Dean. “I like the idea of having you on display. Alphas should be seen and not heard.”

Dean grunted, narrowing his eyes before neutralizing his expression.

“Did Cas say anything about specific toys yet?” Gabe asked, addressing him personally again. He smirked. “Be honest now. Cas is probably too embarrassed to tell me himself anyway.” Gabe sighed. “He doesn’t seem to understand the natural order of alphas and omegas.”  

Dean thought back to the pet store with the fish and the other alpha. He swallowed hard, not really wanting to tell Gabe anything. Would he just ask Cas? Would Cas tell Gabe about all the things he had bought? If so, then Dean would be in trouble for lying.

“Chest,” he finally said, hating the way his voice squeaked up. Gabe could probably smell his fear anyway.

Gabe raised his eyebrows and gave a sly smile, tapping his fingers on his desk. “Cassie, Cassie, Cassie,” he mused. “What interesting things I learn about you through your alpha.”

Dean blushed, hating how these small things could be used against him.

“And I see he’s making liberal use of the knot cage,” Gabe continued. “Which is good. Smart.” He turned back to his laptop and typed some more, taking a few moments of silence as he worked. Dean wondered what he was typing. “Some other rules,” Gabe said, not looking up from the laptop. “I expect you to become better at cooking and memorize Cas's favorite foods. You will clean when Cas has no use for you. You will be presentable at social events when they are required of you. You will learn to clean yourself properly and apply any toys that we deem fit.”

Dean bit his lip to hold back his protests. Instead, he reigned in his objections and took a better approach. “Cas is angry with me at the moment, sir,” he all but growled out. “I don't think he wants anything to do with me.”

“And why is that?” Gabe asked, finally looking at him again. “What did you do?”

Of course it must have been something Dean did. Some alphic mistake. “Nothing,” Dean said, glaring down at the floor. “I did _nothing._ ”

Gabe’s fingers hooked under his chin and tugged his face up. His thumb dipped into Dean’s mouth, squeezing his tongue down so that he couldn’t speak. Dean grunted, trying the wrench his head away, but Gabe’s grip was too tight. He was pulled eye-to-eye with the omega, suddenly feeling very small indeed.

“Listen closely,” Gabe said, his voice a low, threatening hum. “I shouldn’t have to be reminding you about your position every second of every day. I don’t have the time for that.” Then Gabe let him go and sat back. “Now, what did you do?”

Dean clenched his jaw tight, wanting to spit at the omega’s feet. Instead, he ducked his head respectfully and lowered his eyes to the floor. “I disobeyed,” he said. “I talked back. And during the punish—punishment, I was disrespectful.”

“Now, was that so hard?” Gabe said. “Alphas can be so stubborn sometimes.” He said it with a laugh, as if Dean was the stupidest thing he had ever seen.

“No, Omega,” Dean murmured, still keeping his head down.

“Now, I have other work to do,” Gabe said. “You can sit over there.” He gestured to the corner of the room, and Dean spotted the medium sized cushion. To Dean’s surprise, Gabe leaned over and began carefully working the straps of his harness open. It took him a long moment but he finally got it loose and slipped it off of Dean’s arms.

Dean relaxed with a groan of appreciation, finally able to let his shoulders fall forward. The muscles _hurt_ , twitching with fatigue and struggling to relax completely after being held in stress for so long. Dean wanted to slump on the floor and just sleep comfortably, but Gabe was already shoving a tablet and headphones into his hands.

“Watch,” he said. “I need to concentrate on my work and you need something to keep you occupied.”

Dean accepted the items and crawled to the cushion. He slipped the headphones over his ears and looked down at the screen to see what Gabe had given him.

The screen was filled with cartoon-y characters, one of them human and the others just household items with eyes and mouths. It was all bright colors and looked pretty happy. Dean fumbled with the buttons before figuring out how to click play.

The music was bouncy and happy just like the art style, and Dean watched curiously as the characters started moving. He had never seen anything like it. He almost dropped the tablet with the characters started speaking.

“Hello there!” the human character said, waving at him with a huge smile. “Are you ready to learn today?”

Dean almost rolled his eyes. He figured it was some sort of kids’ show and he wondered if Gabe really thought he was stupid enough to need such a trivial sort of education. And then another character bounced on screen, a brown puppy with huge eyes and a slightly forced smile.

“Hold on, Alphy,” the puppy said, talking to the human. “You are forgetting a very important rule.”

The human, Alphy, frowned for a moment and turned to the camera. “Do you know what I’m forgetting?” he asked.

There was a pause as both the puppy and Alphy looked to the Dean for an answer he didn’t know. Then the puppy smiled and perked up.

“That’s right!” he said proudly. “Alphy, you’re an _alpha_. Alphas aren’t supposed to wear clothes!”

There was a laugh track in the background as Alphy face-palmed and laughed along. “Of course!” he said. He undressed as Dean felt his stomach sink to his feet. Once he was naked, he put his clothes in the closet and turned back to the puppy, still wearing a huge smile. “Now I’m ready for the day, Fido!”

“Yes you are, Alphy,” Fido said. “Now you can start your day. Let’s go see if your omega needs anything.”

Dean watched with his stomach in knots as Alphy went about his day, serving a beautiful female omega named Oma. He cooked food and cleaned the rooms, all the while with Fido reminding him to be a “good alpha.” There was a laugh track that played every time Alphy made an obvious mistake, and Fido always helped him get it right. There were awkward pauses as they asked Dean questions like which sheets should be used on Oma’s bed and what kind of soap was needed for the dishes. Dean couldn’t believe he was watching a children’s show about an alpha.

No, he had to correct himself. It wasn’t a children’s show. It was an _alpha’s_ show. Made just for stupid alphas like him.

Dean glanced up to see if Gabe was watching him, but the omega was completely concentrated on his own computer. Even so, he would probably notice if Dean put the tablet down. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure the condescending corrections of Fido and Alphy’s constant, stupid mistakes. He couldn’t help but think that Gabe was sending him some sort of hint, and if Cas refused to look at him, he was going to be stuck here for a long time.

It was going to be a long day.

 


	10. To Wait

Dean spent the entire day watching episode after episode of the mind-numbing alphic TV show. They were on auto-play, and he was too nervous to try to figure out how to pause them or shut them off. He wasn't sure how Gabe would react. The omega hardly moved from his place at his desk. Occasionally, his scent would change from interest to boredom to frustration. Dean wondered if he was supposed to do anything during times like these, but he only sat quietly and waited for an order.

Finally, after episodes and episodes, Gabe leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms high over his head, letting out a satisfied groan.

“Lunch time,” he said, glancing over to where Dean sat. “Come on, let's see what you can cook.”

Dean gratefully set the tablet aside and yanked off the headphones. When he pushed himself to his feet, he had to grab the wall for support. His legs had almost gone numb from sitting in the same spot the whole time. Gabe didn't seem to notice his dilemma as he walked out of the room without a second glance. Dean hurried after him, only limping the first couple steps before recovering.

Gabe let him to the kitchen, a place that Dean actually recognized from his exploring with Cas. At least he vaguely knew where everything was. That was going to be an advantage when Gabe sat down at the marble island and looked to him expectantly.

“Impress me,” he said. “Go on. I want lunch.”

Dean carefully weighed his options before stepping up to the cupboards. He searched as quickly and as quietly as he could, barely opening cupboards an inch to look at the contents to see if they held what he needed.

He pulled out a cutting board and the vegetables that he found the in the refrigerator. He hadn’t seen any knives and wondered if they were locked away. Was he even allowed to use them as an alpha? He glanced nervously to Gabe who was flipping through his phone and smelled relaxed. Dean cleared his throat softly.

“Where are the knives?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet and submissive.

Gabe didn’t even look up and his smell didn’t change either. “In the drawer by the sink,” he said.

Dean swallowed and checked the drawer. Knives, from butter to butcher. “Thanks,” he said, carefully selecting one that wasn’t too big but would still get the job done. He glanced back to Gabe to see if he had done something wrong, but the omega still wasn’t looking at him.

He started on the carrots first, skinning them and slicing them up. He then started on a couple potatoes. He was only planning on a small pot of soup, enough for Gabe with maybe another bowl or two for leftovers. He chopped a stalk of celery and then started a pot of water to boil. After a little bit of searching, he found broth powder which he stirred in carefully. He waited until it was boiling before carefully scraping in the vegetables. He had to make sure he didn’t splash water on himself, considering he was naked and had absolutely no protection. Dean made sure to glance at Gabe every couple minutes just to make sure everything was okay. After a several long minutes and a couple more dashes of seasoning, Dean was pretty sure that he had made a decent vegetable soup. Of course, he only had limited experience, but he was a tad confident as he ladled a generous portion into bowl for Gabe.

“Smells good,” Gabe said, taking the bowl from him. He went back to his phone, absentmindedly taking a bite.

Dean waited for his nose to screw up and for him to spit it out. Instead, Gabe just chewed and swallowed and took another bite, his face gave away nothing and neither did his scent. Dean let out a small sigh of relief and let himself relax. It was barely for a moment and then his stomach growled, loudly. Gabe looked up from his phone with a frown. Dean ducked his head, feeling his cheeks go warm.

“Under the sink,” Gabe said, his mouth sounding full.

Dean wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be looking for. He thought for sure he would get a punishment or something. When he bent and opened the cupboards though, his eyes immediately fell on the bag of alpha food. Oh.

“Thank you,” he muttered, pulling it out and setting it aside. He wasn’t sure if he should take a bowl from the cupboard or not and looking to Gabe didn’t help, he was already back on his phone. So Dean carefully measured a scoop into another soup bowl, folded the food bag back down, and returned it to its place under the sink.

“Floor,” Gabe said tersely when Dean tried to take a seat at the island.

“Sorry,” Dean muttered, slowly sliding to the floor. He ate his dry, tasteless nuggets in silence, waiting for Gabe to finish and tell him what to do next.

What he wasn’t expecting, was Cas to walk through the kitchen doors with a grumble and nearly trip over him on his way to the fridge, unable to see him from around the corner of the island. The bowl of alpha food spilled across the floor before Dean could stop it from falling from his hands.

“Shit,” Cas spat out, falling hard into the counter to catch himself. The heels of his hands hit the marble hard enough to thud and to make Dean cringe.

He scrambled away on his hands and knees, realizing with a wince that Cas had never swore before now. Barely raised his voice. He always had been a quiet angry while Gabe had been loud.

“What’s wrong?” Gabe asked, looking up sharply from his phone.

“Alpha,” Cas spat.

Dean yelped when a foot connected with his ribs, sending a shock of pain across his side. Without thinking, he curled in on himself, tucking his head in in case that was the next target.

“Didn’t smell him,” Cas grumbled, stomping around Dean and nearly ripping the door off the fridge. “Why’s he on the floor?”

“He’s not allowed on the furniture,” Gabe said.

Dean peeked out from between his fingers, trying to gauge if it was okay to uncurl or not. Cas had his back to him, face buried in the fridge. Gabe was glaring at him from his perch on the counter. Dean quickly hid his face in his hands again. At least now he knew Cas was still angry with him. He stank of annoyance.

“I think we need to have a meeting,” Gabe said. “Dean, up. Dining room, now.”

Dean shivered at his tone, quickly scrambling to his feet and hurrying out of the kitchen. He didn’t want to be around them anymore. He couldn’t bear to think about spending one more minute around the omegas. Why couldn’t life be simpler? He wanted _alphas_. He wanted Sam. He wanted someone who he could understand and he didn’t have to tiptoe around and someone who had straight-forward feelings. Someone not omegian. He only got a moment to himself before Gabe and Cas walked in, already arguing.

“I don’t know why you thought this was a good idea,” Cas was saying angrily. “I don’t need an alpha. I don’t need a beta. I don’t need anyone, okay? I just want to live my life!”

“Well, you can’t live if you can’t smell!” Gabe shot back. “You don’t understand, Cas, the entire world revolves around smelling! Have you seen yourself? You can hardly function!”

“Because you don’t let me leave the house!” Cas shouted.

Dean winced, scared that at any moment the omegas would turn their anger on him. He wished he had someplace to hide.

“I got you an alpha so you could leave the house,” Gabe said, not yelling yet like Cas but close. He gestured wildly at Dean. “I got an alpha so you could, I don’t know, have something to distract you.”

Cas rolled his eyes. “Yeah, distract me from the fact that I live in a _prison_!” he snapped. “And, news flash, he’s practically worthless, Gabe. Doesn’t know how to do anything and doesn’t know how to be an alpha anyway. And I don’t know how to be an omega!”

“So that’s it?” Gabe said. “You’re just going to give up?”

Cas glared at him. “Don’t act like this is my fault,” he said. “Don’t act like you did nothing, okay? I tried.”

“Yeah, for like two days,” Gabe said. “You’ve hardly spoken to him.”

“Because he’s an alpha!”

“Have you tried fucking him?”

Dean flinched at the words, immediately contemplating running out the doors. What would his punishment be if he went and hid? Worth it? He wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. He didn’t like that they were fighting over him, acting as if he wasn’t there. He didn’t like the yelling. And he especially didn’t like the waves of eye-burning anger that were rolling off the two of them, making him want to cover his nose.

“I’m not going to fuck him,” Cas said. “I don’t want to fuck him.”

“Fine,” Gabe said, throwing his hands in the air. “Then let him fuck you. I don’t know, Cas, I’m throwing you a line here. Try and use it, maybe? I don’t know.”

“I don’t want him to fuck me!” Cas said. Dean could smell the embarrassment.

“Then find something you do want him to do, and do that,” Gabe said. “Does that sound like such a hard thing to do?”

“Yes!” Cas said. “Because I want to have a fucking conversation with someone who doesn’t look at me like I’m fucking little kid, Gabe. And he’s an alpha, and all he’s going to do is roll over and beg for me to squeeze his knot!”

With that outburst, he stomped out of the room, slamming the doors hard behind him. Gabe dropped his head to his hands with a huge sigh followed by a frustrated groan. Dean wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. A yelling Cas couldn't be good. A yelling, angry Cas was definitely not good. If Dean had a tail, it would be tucked between his legs. Instead, he cupped his hands over his crotch and did his best to look nonthreatening.

“Shit,” Gabe finally said. “Shit, he is not allowed to do this. Come.”

Dean quickly moved to follow him as he stomped out of the room, taking a hallway Dean had never seen before. They stopped in another office type room, and Gave rummaged through a large, oak cupboard that was stuffed with pill bottles and medication. He finally selected one bottle and snapped it open, tapping out two small orange pills into his hand.

“Eat these,” he said, shoving them in Dean's face.

Dean didn't hesitate, popping the pills into his mouth and struggling to swallow them dry. As they dissolved on his tongue and left bitter tracks of taste, he realized he didn't know what he was taking. Sedatives? Uppers? Downers? Was there any point in asking now that he was swallowing down his bitter drool? He gagged a little at the taste but managed to keep his stomach from rebelling.

“Cas doesn't understand that I got him a gift,” Gabe grumbled, more to himself than to Dean. “And if I have to tie you two together for him to understand, then so be it.”

Dean felt his stomach sink, but he wasn’t sure if that was the dread at whatever Gabe was going to do or whatever medicine he had just taken. His vision was starting to swim too, and without thinking, he caught himself on a side table, jostling a vase of half-wilted flowers. He moved to catch it but only pushed it completely over the edge. It smashed apart on the floor but Dean didn’t get the chance to grovel for forgiveness because he hit the floor next, out like a light.

 

~*~

 

The cage he woke up in was a cramped and made of tight wire mesh. It took him a moment to orientate himself and to realize that his arms were pinned behind his back, he was naked with even his cock cage missing, and a gag was propped in his mouth, disturbingly phallic shaped. He grunted, trying to get his knees under him. And then he realized that the cage was too short for him to get up and it was better to stay on his stomach.

He sniffed next, trying to smell anything that would help him figure out what was going on. He was moving, like he was in a car but whatever space he was in was insulated so that all he smelled was himself. He groaned and slumped facedown.

Dean lay there, unable to do anything really, only able to wait and see what would happen. He couldn’t doze off; he was too nervous for that. He could only wait. When the door finally popped open and fresh air flowed in, carrying a million different scents at once. It also finally let him hear Cas and Gabe, who were already arguing. Or maybe they were still arguing. How long had he been out?

“I don’t know why we have to come here,” Cas was already grumbling. “This is crazy. Wasn’t my room a good enough seclusion from the world?”

As Dean’s cage was dragged out of the car, he was able to turn his head to get a look at where he was. A good sized, cabin-like building was nestled into a tree line, and, if the smell was any indication, they were far from any sort of city. Two different betas were unloading the suitcases and clothing bags and two more betas were carrying his cage. Other than them, it was just Dean, Gabe, and Cas. And the two omegas didn’t seem to be in the best of moods.

“My goal isn’t to seclude you,” Gabe said. “This is only temporary as we both adjust to a new alpha in the house.”

“Or,” Cas said, being the first to push open the doors and stomp inside. “We could just get rid of the alpha and go back to the way we were before. That’s the easiest solution.”

Dean winced as the betas set his cage down rather hard and also at Cas’s words.

“We’re _not_ returning him,” Gabe said. “I paid good money and refund rates are always at fifty percent. If you don’t like the way he is, then train him to be what you want.”

“It’s not like I can train a personality into him,” Cas said with a roll of his eyes. “I’m going to my bedroom.” With that, he stomped off down a random hallway.

Gabe sighed and turned to the betas. “Please unpack everything in their respective rooms,” he said, walking over to Dean’s cage. “I’ll deal with the alpha.”

“Yes, sir,” the betas mumbled and set to work.

Dean flinched as Gabe crouched down to fiddle with the lock on the cage.

“I expect you to be on your best behavior,” he growled under his breath. “And if you make Cas so much as sneeze, I’ll have you beaten within an inch of your life. Understand?”

Dean shivered and nodded as he crawled out of the cage, settling on his knees with a grunt as his muscles protested the movement. He flinched as Gabe’s fingers loosened the straps on his hands and undid his harness. It was a relief to relax, although he still had no idea where he was. Gabe hooked two fingers through a strap of his gag and yanked his head so their eyes met. Dean could smell the anger rolling off his skin.

“And tonight,” Gabe added. “I am going to show my brother just how an alpha is to be used, and you are not going to struggle, you are not going to complain, you are not going to act like a fucking alpha. You are going to take everything I give you, and you are going to be happy with it. Understand?”

Dean nodded the best he could and winced when Gabe tossed his head aside, yanking his neck painfully. Gabe then stood and walked away.

“Inias, Hester,” he said over his shoulder, talking to the betas. “Clean up that piss, then clean up the alpha and put him in the playroom.”

Dean wasn’t sure what he was talking about until he looked down and realized that he was kneeling in a puddle of his own urine. He had pissed himself out of fear. Tears flooded his eyes and spilled down his cheeks as the betas bustled around him.

“Yes, sir,” they said to Gabe before he disappeared down a hall. They grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet, moving him away from the mess and walking him down a different hall.

Dean was whimpering and he only realized it when he was dragged into the bathroom and the noises started bouncing off the tiles back at him. It was pathetic, but it was all he could do at the moment. He let himself go limp as the betas set him down in the bathtub, holding his hands limply in his lap. He started crying again when the betas turned the shower heads on him and turned the temperature to lukewarm.

The brushes were all stiff-bristle and irritated his skin as well as clean it. They used a washcloth on his face, thankfully, but that was the only mercy allowed. By the time they were finished, his entire body was red and itchy and ached. He was still crying as one beta—a sorry-smelling young man—undid his gag and yanked it out of his mouth, quickly replacing it with a toothbrush and scrubbing hard. Dean tried to sniff back the snot that was starting to run from his nose, but with the brush jabbing against his gums and nearly down the back of his throat, it was too hard. The beta was thorough and not completely gentle. Finally, Dean was allowed to rinse and spit.

Then came the most embarrassing part.

The betas bent him over, dragging his hips up, and then flushed his insides out with warm, soapy water. That only made him sob harder. After two more washes, they sat him up and wiped down his face with a warm washcloth to get rid of the snot and tears. The beta that brushed his teeth crouched down in front of him, taking extra care to smooth his hair down and brush the tears from his eyelashes. He chewed his lip in concentration.

“I don’t like seeing alphas mistreated,” he whispered, spending extra time cleaning Dean’s cheeks, cradling his face gently. “I don’t know what Mr. Novak has planned for you and I don’t know his history of alphas.”

Dean whimpered as the beta’s fingers dipped close to his mouth, brushing across his lips. He licked at them, hoping for some sort of mercy. The beta only sighed and slipped his gag back into place, tightening the strap around his head.

“You poor thing,” the beta murmured. “Look, I’ll be back in the morning. I’m part of the cleaning crew so you’ll see me around often enough.” He smiled, but it looked a little forced. “You got someone looking out for you.” He patted Dean’s shoulder one last time and stood.

The other beta watched them from the doorway of the bathroom, wringing her hands nervously. “You know you can’t do that,” she said.

“What are you talking about?” the male beta said, washing his hands in the sink and tossing the used towels and clothes into a wicker hamper.

“I’m talking about acting like you can protect alphas like this,” she said, gesturing to Dean. “I get that you’re all ‘People for the Ethical Treatment of Alphas’ and all, but you can’t give him false hope.”

“I can help,” the beta insisted. “Omegas like the Novaks aren’t going to count every piece of food in their kitchen or every band aid in their cabinet. I can do what I can. Look, stop talking in front of him, okay?”

Dean realized that he had started sucking on the gag sometime during the conversation, much like a kit would a pacifier. He quickly stopped, his cheeks starting to burn. He looked quickly at the ground as both the betas looked at him. The conversation felt so rebellious, and it was obvious he wasn’t supposed to be hearing any of it.

“Come on,” the female beta said, grabbing the pair of padded cuffs off the counter and shaking them at the guy. “Enough alpha politics. We need to get him to the play room.”

“Please don’t call it that,” the guy said. He took the cuffs anyway, walking behind Dean and pulling his arms back, securing them quickly. He made a noise of disgust. “Play room. Gross. Why omegas can’t have vanilla sex like the rest of us, I’ll never understand. But no, it’s all leather and latex and spanking and handcuffs.”

“Don’t knock a good pair of handcuffs,” the girl said, moving to Dean’s other side. Together, they pulled him back to his feet. “They can do wonders in the bedroom.”

“Please don’t start talking about your sex life,” the guy said with a groan. “I do _not_ need to hear about that again.”

They walked Dean down the hall a ways, took a couple turns, and ended up in well-lit, well-furnished room. It was simply decorated with heavy wooden furniture and a row of cabinets hung from one wall. Dean was shoved to his knees in the center of the room, on a large spiral run that covered almost the entire floor. At least his knees wouldn’t hate him after a couple minutes.

“Good luck,” the guy said, giving him one last pat on the head. “See you in the morning, I hope.”

“Stop that,” the woman said.

Dean wanted them to stay. He really did. He even shuffled after them a couple steps before the door closed behind them and any sympathy he had a chance at getting was gone. He slumped down, fidgeting against the cuffs. He started sucking on the gag again, and even though he hated it, it did make him feel a little better. And it was the only thing he could do while he waited for the inevitable horror and punishment that awaited him whenever Gabe decided he was worth the time.

And he hated that he had to wait.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to anyone who doesn't hate me yet Q-Q


	11. Playing

Cas didn’t want to talk or look or even be around anyone. Which was odd. Any other time he would be itching to get out and about and to see people. Now, he wanted to lock his door and never interact with anyone ever again.

He was stuck in the god-forsaken house, out in the middle of the woods, so far from any sort of civilization. He wanted to scream in frustration. Gabe was going to keep him here until – what? He fucked Dean? Dean fucked him? What was he looking for?

Cas snatched up a pillow from the bed and flung it across the room. It wasn’t as satisfying as he thought it would be so he picked up another one and threw that one too. They thumped against the wall and then fell to the floor. Still unsatisfying.

With a grunt, Cas grabbed the chair that sat with the room’s desk and hoisted it up, throwing it as far and as hard as he could. It crashed against the wall and joined the pillows on the floor, unbroken. Cas frowned at the streak of paint it scratched away. That felt slightly better. He ripped the blankets off his bed next and threw them across the flood, kicking them into a rumpled pile. He was about to start ripping books off the shelf near the desk next but a knock on his door stopped him.

“What?” he snapped.

One of the movers Gabe had hired, a man with neat brown hair and a nervous smile, entered the room. Cas couldn’t remember if Gabe had mentioned if they were betas or not. That only made him angrier.

“What do you want?” he said.

The man looked briefly over the mess on the floor but didn’t comment. Instead, he politely folded his hands over his stomach and cleared his throat. “Mr. Novak wanted us to check if you needed anything before we left. The alpha is waiting in the, ah, play room and some of the other betas are preparing a small dinner.”

“I want to leave,” Cas said, balling his hands into fists. He wondered how the man would react if he tried to run.

The man gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I understand,” he said. “But, uh, Mr. Novak said you might ask that, and he said we would have to tell you no.”

Cas sighed. “Fine,” he said. “Can I have—” He didn’t really want anything. “Can I have something for a headache? And tea?”

The man gave him an earnest smile this time. “That I can do,” he said. “I’ll be back with that in a couple minutes.” He left quickly then, and Cas was left by himself.

He went back to pacing and thinking and brooding. He scowled, thinking of Dean waiting in the play room. He shuddered at that. Why did it have to be called that? Why was it called playing? It seemed like such an innocent word for such a disgusting practice. Was Dean comfortable right now? Was he restrained? If he wanted to, could he just get up and leave? Cas shuddered to think of him walking around free. Then he shook off the feeling. There was no way Gabe would allow that.

Speaking of Gabe.

How long did he intend to keep Cas in this god-forsaken house? “Until they got used to the alpha.” As if he had brought home a puppy that they had to both acquaint themselves with. As if it were that simple. Cas scoffed, kicking a stray pillow.

Before the accident that left him disabled, they had alphas on staff. Several, in fact. They had gone out to clubs together even, family outings where they tossed dollar bills at alphas trained to dance and to be seductive. Cas had even paid for a personal dance before, laughing along with Gabe as the alpha strutted and stripped and ground his crotch against Cas, acting like a dog in heat. Cas remembered the flashing lights and the drinks, the smoke and the music. The alpha, with curly blonde hair and hastily applied makeup, the collar around his neck and the band around the base of his cock. Cas remembered the _smells_.

He closed his eyes to stop the tears, hating how reminiscing made him emotional. He remembered the sweet scent of alphic arousal and the buzz of omegian happiness and delight, how it had made him happy in return. It seemed like an eternity ago. He couldn’t find that kind of happiness in a crowd anymore. Mainly because crowds now scared him, and now he could no longer smell.

His hand went to the back of his neck, finding the scar automatically. He rubbed it, probably harder than necessary, hating what it made him.

“Feeling any better, sir?”

Cas spun quickly, embarrassed to see the man had returned, so quietly that Cas hadn’t heard him enter. He stood at the door holding a tray with a mug of tea, a glass of water, two red painkillers, and an indistinguishable white pill.

“No,” Cas said with a frown. He stepped quickly over, eager to get the pain medication in him. He tossed the orange pills back, swallowing them with a mouthful of water. He eyed the white pill distrustfully. “What’s that?”

“Mr. Novak said you should take it,” the man said. “He said it would make the evening, ah, more pleasurable. Yes, those were his words.”

“I don’t want it,” Cas said, picking up the tea instead. “Take it back.”

“Are you sure?” the man said. “The alpha . . . . sir, I know it isn’t my place to speak like this, but if I may?”

Cas looked at him curiously. “Go ahead,” he said.

“The alpha is inexperienced, sir,” the man said. “He is confused but doing his best. He is eager to please if you just give him a chance. All he needs is a few good words and he will happily jump to do want you want if you only give him a good explanation as to what is expected of him and how he should accomplish it. Mr. Novak, I feel, is going to make tonight very hard for him. He is going to need your support.”

“I don’t know how to give that,” Cas said honestly. He rubbed his nose on the back of his hand. “I just . . . I _don’t_.”

The man smiled. “Just tell him what you want, tell him when he does a good job, gently correct him when he does something wrong.”

“It’s not that simple,” Cas said.

“If I may,” the man said. “Just because you cannot smell, does not mean you can’t encourage him. You’d be surprised how far a kind word can go.”

Cas chewed his lip, wondering just how much Gabe had told them. Most of the house staff knew the bare details about his situation. They knew he was disabled, nothing more. He swallowed hard, wondering just how much they gossiped among themselves. He opened his mouth, about to ask, when he was interrupted.

“I think that’s enough, Inias,” Gabe said, pushing the door wide open. “You are dismissed. You can go home early today.”

Inias, a beta Cas figured, nodded and stepped away. Cas noticed he palmed the pill into his hand, sliding it discreetly off the tray before Gabe could see it. He wouldn’t meet Cas’s eyes though, only kept his gaze respectfully on the ground as he slipped out of the room with a respectful, “thank you, sir” to Gabe.

“Tonight we’re going to have some family time,” Gabe said with a smile. “We haven’t really spent time together recently, huh, Cas?”

“You work,” Cas said, knowing the excuses Gabe had used before.

Gabe shrugged. “Still, maybe a week off with an alpha is just what we need,” he said. “Time to get to know each other again and to have a little fun. Huh?”

“Fun,” Cas repeated dumbly.

“I have the alpha in the play room,” Gabe went on. “We can make a night out of it. The kitchen is well stocked with snacks and once the alpha is doped up on pheromones, he’ll be ready to go for hours.”

Hours. Cas shuddered.

“You haven’t been around an alpha in so long,” Gabe said. “Come on, Cas, you’re gonna get out of practice. Look, as soon as you have him squirming, you’ll remember all the fun you used to have. Dean doesn’t have any training. You’ll be breaking him in.”

Cas blinked at the alpha’s name. Dean—he had almost forgotten.

Gabe tugged his sleeves up to his elbows and clapped his hands once. “Nothing is more fun than an overly sensitive alpha,” he said. “We’re gonna have so much fun, Cas, just you watch.”

 

~*~

 

Cas sat on the sofa of the room, idling sipping a cocktail Gabe had shoved in his hands. He had taken off his belt at Gabe’s prompting, even undid the buttons and zipper. Now, he watched as Gabe strapped Dean down on a breeding bench and worked him open with lube and an obscene dildo. It was tasteless: hot pink with too many bumps and ridges to be practical.

Dean, however, seemed to love it, moaning into his gag and humping his hips the best he could. Gabe had taken off his knot cage and now his dick bobbed between his legs, hard and dripping, the base a deep red, even starting to swell a little.

“Good boy,” Gabe coaxed, working the dildo in all the way to its base and letting it sit there. He gave Dean’s hip a pat before stepping back. He scooped his own drink off a small side table and plopped down next to Cas on the couch, taking a huge gulp. “Here.” He passed over a small remote, also hot pink with more buttons than Cas thought necessary.

Cas gently picked it up and looked to Dean. He didn’t like the way he was staring at him, green eyes pleading. Cas couldn’t push any of the buttons while Dean watched him like that. He frowned a little, looking over to the cabinets.

“Is there a blindfold?” he asked, too scared to get up and look for himself.

Gabe smacked his arm playfully and laughed. “Now you’re getting it,” he said, jumping to his feet. It took him only a moment to pull out a black, heavy blindfold that he slipped over Dean’s eyes, leaving him in darkness.

The alpha jumped, twisting his head around, huffing through his nose. He whined, straining even harder against the restraints and the bench. Cas could see his muscles bunching beneath his gleaming skin, sweating a little harder now. Cas was almost glad he couldn’t smell it.

“Sometimes I like the way you think, Cassie,” Gabe said, flopping back on the couch. “Look at him, all confused and eager.”

Cas licked his lips, suddenly thirsty. He took a long drink from his glass, feeling the alcohol burn. He then picked up the remote and punched the first button he felt like.

It was nearly audible when the toy started buzzing, and Dean let out a growl, struggling even harder. His hips pumped forward a couple times before stuttering to a stop, and he whined, shaking his head.

Gabe laughed, downing the rest of his drink in one go. “Lemme see that,” he said, plucking the remote out of Cas’s hands. He pushed another button, and the buzzing turned even louder.

Dean bit down on his gag, baring teeth sharper than Cas liked to think about. A string of drool leaked out of the side of his mouth, dangling for a moment before dropping to the floor. It was hypnotizing how his dick drooled the same way.

“Isn’t this a good way to blow off steam?” Gabe asked. He undid the buttons on his shirt, letting it fall open. “Nothing like a frustrated alpha and a free night."

Cas studied the way Dean’s shoulders flexed, dangerously close to breaking the bonds.

“What next?” Gabe asked, gesturing to cupboards. “See how much he squeals when we clamp his balls? See how much his hole can stretch? He’s got a talented mouth, Cas, I can tell you that from experience.”

Cas shifted awkwardly. He didn’t want to do anything like that to Dean. It didn’t seem to be as entertaining to him as it was to Gabe. Still, Gabe just wanted them to have fun and Dean looked like he was enjoying himself, all hard and squirming. So he took another gulp of his drink, set aside the empty glass, and shrugged.

“Whatever you want,” he said, his voice a little rough and squeaked at the end of the sentence.

Gabe leaned forward eagerly, rubbing his hands together. “I’ll admit,” he said, pushing himself to his feet. “I always did like making alphas whimper and squeal, and a little pain is the perfect way to do that.”

He made his way leisurely over to the cupboards, selecting one and swinging it open. He skimmed his fingers over the paddles that were hung inside before selecting one with tacky hearts painted on its surface. Gabe ran his hand over the hardwood and looked to Cas, offering it with a smirk.

“What do you think?” he said. “I’ve also got clamps and weights. Now that I think about it, Dean did say you were interested in his adorable nipples.”

Cas blushed and whipped his gaze to Dean. The alpha stiffened and started whimpering harder, shaking his head, as if denying what Gabe was saying. Cas clenched his hands into fists.

“Don’t be embarrassed, Cassie,” Gabe said, moving to the next cupboard and taking down a pair of clamps and weights, letting them swing from his hand. “Personally, I like a good whipping of the balls, gets the lesson through nice and quick and makes them squeal like you wouldn’t believe. We all like different things.”

Cas licked his lips and stood, walking over to the small but well-stocked bar in the opposite corner of the room. He grabbed a new glass and a bottle of whiskey. He wasn’t as savvy as Gabe was when it came to mixing up refreshments so he only poured a good glassful over ice and picked it up. When he turned back to the room, Gabe was standing over Dean, still holding the clamps and the paddle.

“Do you want to?” he asked. “Or should I?"

Dean shook his head, drooling even more onto the floor. Maybe he wasn’t enjoying this as much as Cas first thought.

“You can,” Cas said, leaning heavily on the bar. He took a small drink of the whiskey, feeling his eyes water at the burn. He wasn’t used to drinks this strong.

He watched as Gabe set the paddle on Dean’s back, as if he were a table. He then crouched and ran his fingers over Dean’s chest. Cas knew what he was doing; he had done it himself only yesterday. Yesterday? Time didn’t feel right. He knew that Dean was nearly as sensitive as an omega, and the way he whimpered, Cas knew that the clamps were not going to be pleasant.

Gabe worked carefully, opening the clip and placing it in position before letting it close. Dean reacted immediately, arching off the bench and snarling, twisting his head in Gabe’s direction. Cas was scared, for a moment, that he would bite. But no, the gag stopped him from doing that. It didn’t stop him from trying though. He twisted and snarled as Gabe moved to his other side and repeated the procedure again, cradling the weight for a moment before letting it drop. Dean hissed at the pull.

Cas clutched his glass tight. “You’re making him angry,” he said, unable to tear his eyes away from Dean’s writhing form.

Gabe laughed. “What?” he said. “Scared he’ll get free? The straps are strong enough and tested too.” He picked up the paddle, letting the tip drag down Dean’s back and over the curve of his ass. “They’re made to take a lot of stress,” he said. “A lot more than one alpha can ever hope to achieve.” He brought the paddle down with a hard smack, making Dean jump forward with a yelp.

Cas flinched as Dean struggled harder before going limp, letting his chest rest on the stand as he panted for breath.

“I’d ask you to count,” Gabe went on, this time addressing Dean. “But I don’t think you know how.” Then he brought the paddle down again and again in quick succession.                                                                               

Dean snarled and struggled after the first few but then seemed to give up, slumping over the bench and just taking it. By the time Gabe decided he had enough, Dean’s ass was a glowing red and he was chewing and sucking at his gag. If he was crying, the tears didn’t make it past the blindfold.

“Sure you don’t want to try?” Gabe said, offering the paddle to Cas. “It’s a really good way to blow off steam.”

Cas quickly shook his head. “I’m good with just watching,” he said, his knees feeling weak.

Gabe shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said, tossing the paddle aside. “I’m going to have a little more fun.”

His next trip to the cupboards yielded another set of clamps and weights, these bigger and bulkier than the first ones. He moved behind Dean and started to play with his balls, rolling them in his hand and making Dean groan and start to hump the air again.

“Good boy,” Gabe said, starting to stroke his dick now, purposefully avoiding his knot. “Good alpha. That feels good, now doesn’t it?”

Dean whined and nodded.

“Be a good alpha and maybe I’ll let you come,” Gabe said, letting go of Dean’s dick and readying the clamps. They were blunted from what Cas could see, which he was grateful for when Gabe attached them to Dean’s balls, and the alpha squealed like a newborn kit.

The weights must be heavy because they stretched his balls down, making them dangle like a dog’s. As Dean’s hips stuttered forward and back, the weights swung with the movement, which only made him whine harder.

Cas finished off his whiskey with a wince and let one of the ice cubes slide into his mouth so he could suck on that. Some real hydration. Maybe he should have a glass of water instead. He poured himself another glass of whiskey when Gabe dropped his pants and underwear, walking around to Dean’s head.

“You’ve done this before, good boy,” Gabe said, slipping his fingers along the strap of the gag and starting to undo it. “You know what to do once the gag is off, huh?”

Dean whined and bobbed his head, his nose flared as he scented Gabe over and over. A string of drool hung from his mouth as Gabe pulled out the gag, and Dean’s frantic panting filled the room.

“Please, Omega,” he begged, licking his lips as he craned his neck. “Please, Omega. I need—I need—just a little more. Please let me come.”

Gabe grabbed his face and pulled it to his crotch. “You know what to do,” he said, throwing his head back as Dean found his way to his hole and started licking.

Cas shuddered at the noise, the wet slurping and moaning from both Gabe and Dean. He turned his attention and focus more on the grain of the wood of the bar. He traced the patterns and debated the medical risks of drinking an entire bottle of whiskey on an empty stomach. When he finally glanced up again, Dean’s blindfold was painted with stripes of whitish come and Gabe was petting his head, catching his breath. Dean’s mouth and chin glistening with slick and his licked his lips again and again.

“What a good boy,” Gabe said. “What a good, good boy.”

Dean was trying to nose his way back between Gabe’s legs and gave a disappointed whine when the gag was shoved back into his mouth.

“What do you think, Cassie?” Gabe said, ambling back to the couch and flopping down. “Do you think he did a good enough job? Do you think he should come? Wanna try?”

Cas ignored his glass and took a gulp of whiskey straight from the bottle, making himself cough and his eyes water. “No,” he managed to choke out. “No, ah, I’m good.” He was feeling a little off, a little wobbly on his feet. Like something wasn’t right.

“Suit yourself,” Gabe said. “I guess I can get a little hands on.”

Cas watched as he pushed himself up and ambled behind Dean who was squirming eagerly, able to hear their discussion. Gabe wrapped one hand around his knot and started stroking with the other. Dean immediately started to groan, arching off the bench and humping into Gabe’s hands, starting to pant even harder. Cas watched, cocking his head a little as he watched Gabe work. It only took a couple moments before Dean was shooting into Gabe’s hand, his entire body going stiff as the orgasm ripped through him. Gabe squeezed his knot carefully, milking him through until Dean collapsed against the bench with a sigh of contentment. Gabe wiped his hand on Dean’s ass before returning to his seat.

“Look at him,” he said. “One and done. If he was trained to service, he would be able to keep going one right after another.” He dug around in the drawer of the side table and pulled out a water bottle, cracking it open and taking a long drink.

Dean groaned at the suggestion, shifting as he tried to get comfortable on the bench.

Gabe laughed. “Adorable,” he said, finishing off the rest of his water and tossing aside the empty bottle. “I need a hot shower and a bite to eat before bed. The betas can clean this up in the morning.” He stood and headed toward the door.

“You’re just going to leave him?” Cas said, staring stupidly at Dean.

Gabe only shrugged, waving a dismissive hand. “Like I said, the betas will get it. I need a shower.” And then he was gone.

Cas stood there, the half empty whiskey bottle dangling from his hand. He was feeling a little tipsy, more drunk actually but not completely gone, still coherent enough to realize that Dean would be uncomfortable if he spent the entire night on the bench. He then remembered what the man had told him when delivering his tea and painkillers.

_“Just because you cannot smell, does not mean you can’t encourage him. You’d be surprised how far a kind word can go.”_

Cas set the bottle aside and tiptoed to Dean’s side. To be honest, he was a little scared to touch him but figured that he would exhausted after everything Gabe did. Gently, carefully, he brushed his fingers alone Dean’s shoulders. Immediately, Dean stiffened and raised his head, grunting and scenting the air.

“It’s just me,” Cas said then realized that Dean could probably smell that. “You did. . . . a good job.” The words sounded stupid, even to him. “How about, we get you cleaned up.” That sounded much better.

Dean grunted, nodding his head. He tugged gently at the restraints that held him.

“Just wait,” Cas said. He crouched, slightly unsteady, behind Dean, staring at the clamps on his balls. It was bizarre and yet hypnotizing, and Cas gently brushed one, prompting a whine from Dean. “Sorry,” he said instinctively.

He carefully worked the clamp open, wincing at the bruised flesh, already going red-ish purple. Once they were both off, Cas wiggled the still-vibrating dildo free as well and set both aside. Dean sighed in relief and slumped on the bench. Next, Cas moved up to his chest, easing those clamps off too. He set them both aside and staggered to his feet. Dean craned his head up at him, tracking his movements through smell.

“Just wait,” Cas said, covering a burp with his hand. “I don’t want you to. . . . attack.” He took in Dean’s shivering, exhausted form and actually laughed out loud. “I guess you’re too tired, huh? Too tired to do anything?”

Dean nodded, squirming a little.

When Cas crouched again, he fell off balance and had to catch himself on Dean’s shoulder. He let himself linger, feeling the heat radiate off of Dean like a heater lamp or something. Cas rubbed him, petting him like an animal. Then he remembered what he was supposed to be doing and started to clumsily undo the restraints on his arms. He got one free and moved onto the leg on the same side. It took a couple minutes but Dean was finally able to scramble off the bench. He immediately started pawing at his blindfold and gag, whimpering.

“Leave those on,” Cas said quickly. He wasn’t ready to look Dean in the eyes quite yet. Thankfully, Dean immediately let his hands fall to his lap although he chewed gently on his gag.

They sat on the floor for a moment, Cas staring at Dean and Dean smelling Cas. It was a stalemate between them, apparently. Finally, Cas realized that they couldn’t sit there forever. At some point, they would have to move. He clumsily moved to his feet and took Dean’s arm, pulling him to his feet. He curled their hands together, still marveling at the warmth. How could anyone be that warm?

Dean clung to him as they walked out of the room, and Cas ended up leaning on him for support as well. He was a little more unstable than he realized originally. Together, they made their way to the bathroom. It was almost annoying the way Dean kept huffing through his nose and twitching his head. Cas guided him to the toilet and sat him down.

“Stay,” he said. He brought his fingers up to the gag, brushing the leather strap. He could see the way Dean’s throat moved as he swallowed and the way his lips twitched. He worked it open and watched in fascination as he pulled it out and Dean’s lips seemed to stretch around the phallic shape.

Dean coughed and licked his lips, bringing up a hand to wipe his mouth. His chin still glistened with slick and his nose was starting to run. He looked like a mess.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“I gotta run a bath,” Cas said. “I gotta-” He hiccuped and had to cover his mouth. “Just wait, I gotta wash you.”

“Thank you,” Dean repeated.

It took a couple minutes for the tub to fill enough, and Cas used that time to lean against the cold tile, slouching on the floor and pressing his cheek against it. It felt so nice. Like the complete opposite of Dean who sat obediently on the toilet and only fidgeted a couple times.

“Alright,” Cas said when the tub was around half full. He shut off the water and sat up. “Let’s get you in.”

Cas fumbled with the washcloths and soap as Dean groped his way along and finally was able to slip into the water without much difficulty. He sat obediently, with his knees drawn up to his chest, waiting for Cas.

Cas giggled as he dunked a washcloth into the water, swirling it around and watching with fascination. For some reason it was captivating.

“Here,” he said, shoving a second washcloth into Dean’s hand. “You help.”  

Dean fumbled with the cloth, getting it wet and then starting to scrub his chest. Cas noticed that he avoided the tender flesh of his nipples. He squinted at the bruises and reached out to touch for himself. Dean hissed and recoiled, baring his teeth. Cas felt too floaty to feel scared.

“Sorry they hurt,” he said. “The clamps—do your balls feel the same way?” The question was oddly funny to him, the words too. He laughed and said it again. “Balls. Ha, balls.”

“Yeah,” Dean said softly, resuming his cleaning down his arms.

“Oh,” Cas said, the question no longer seeming so funny.

Cas leaned on the tub and watched him clean himself. He delicately worked around his nipples and down his stomach. He paused briefly on his dick before gently wiping it down. He was just as careful when dealing with his balls. He then shifted his hips so he could clean his ass as well. Then Cas remembered he was supposed to be encouraging him, with _words_.

“You did good,” he said. “You are a . . . . good boy. Very good. Gabe likes to play rough, I guess. But you are a very, very good boy, yes you are.” He reached forward and clumsily tapped Dean’s nose. That made him jerk up, and Cas laughed.

Dean brought the washcloth up to scrub his face, cleaning his chin and lips and wiping his nose too. He even wiped down the blindfold, dunking the cloth back in the water to rinse it before doing the process all over.

“Good boy,” Cas said softly, still watching him. “You are very, very—” He lunged for the toilet and made it just in time to empty his stomach into the porcelain bowl. He clutched it as his stomach continued to heave, finding nothing but alcohol to throw up. Cas groaned, regretting everything up to this point.

He was only dimly aware of the sloshing of water as Dean moved in the tub and then the clatter as the blindfold hit the tile floor. He felt warm hands on his waist and someone lifted him gently, settling him on his knees in a more manageable position. Cas heaved again and went limp when nothing else came up. A warm washcloth swiped across his lips and then the same warm hands were picking him up. Dean’s blurry face came into view, his green eyes flooded with confusion and concern.

“Good boy,” Cas whispered, reaching up a hand to pat him on the cheek. He smiled and closed his eyes, letting himself drift off.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't take medication with alcohol, kids


	12. Fucking Alphas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Non-con ahead, Dean lets the alpha side of him take over

Dean hurt everywhere, and he was pretty sure he was in a lot of trouble. First of all, Gabe said he was supposed to stay on the bench all night. Second, Cas never liked being touched, and Dean was currently carrying him god-knows-where, hopefully to a bedroom. The omega seemed so out of it, smiling and giggling and touching Dean like they had known each other for forever. Dean had smelled alcohol when he had been in the play room, but he had never touched the stuff himself or seen what it did to people. Was Cas drunk? Was this how people acted when they were drunk?

“Good boy,” Cas murmured from his arms. He had been repeating those words for the last couple minutes. He petted Dean’s chest, and Dean did his best not to growl when his fingers brushed his nipples. “Good . . . . good boy.”

“And you’re a good omega,” Dean muttered. He did it more to keep Cas talking, scared of what would happen if he fell asleep. But the burst of sweet happiness that wafted off of Cas every time Dean said the words was reward enough. He breathed deeply, savoring it while he could.

“Are we going to bed?” Cas asked with a dreamy smile. “I feel tired.”

“I bet you do,” Dean said. He was feeling pretty tired himself. “Look, could you tell me where your bedroom is? So you can sleep?”

“Down the hall,” Cas said without looking. He reached up and threaded his fingers through Dean’s hair, scratching him behind the ear like he was a dog. “Down the hall, okay? It’s on the left. Or it’s on the right. I can’t remember.”

“Thanks a lot,” Dean grumbled. He checked each door they passed, carefully smelling for Gabe as he went along. He didn’t want to be caught now, especially outside of the playroom and with Cas.

Eventually, he found a room that looked like it had been torn apart with blankets and pillows thrown across the floor, even a chair lying on its side. At first, Dean was going to dismiss the room as certainly not Cas’s, but the omega immediately starting grabbing for the bed, kicking against Dean’s hold.

“Hold still,” Dean said, quickly making his way over and dumping Cas on the bed.

The omega immediately snuggled down into the sheets which were all that was left on the bed. He rolled around like some sort of puppy, nuzzling his face into the fabric and practically purring. Dean studied him for a moment, wondering just what Cas drank to make him so goofed up. He smelled _happy_. Beyond happy. He smelled like he had dunked himself in a vat of chocolate and sprinkles. Dean pressed his hand to his nose and breathed in his own scent to clear his head before moving to collect the pillows and blankets, dumping them on the bed and arranging them around Cas until he was tucked in carefully.

Cas was actually purring now, a rumbling noise from deep in his chest.

“You good?” Dean asked, scared that Cas was going to start coughing or hacking or something. The purring was just so damn loud.

“Very good,” Cas said, eyes half-drooped closed. He let out a long sigh. “Good boy.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Well, good, because I’m probably going to get beaten over this,” he said. For some reason, he figured Cas wasn’t going to remember any of this conversation. “So, you’re welcome. And goodbye. I should probably head back to the play room.”

Cas’s purring stuttered and stopped, and he clumsily pushed himself onto his elbows. “No,” he said. “Stay.” He patted the blankets next to him and flopped onto his back. “Get into bed.”

That’s where Dean drew the line. If anything was going to get him in the most trouble, it would be Gabe finding him snuggled up nicely in Cas’s bed. He shook his head.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you,” he said. “If you’re drunk or whatever, I don’t know, but I’m not getting into that bed. I’m going back to the play room and I’m going to pray that Gabe doesn’t kill me when I’m not strapped down on that god-forsaken bench.” He turned to leave, but Cas’s purr made him stop short.

“Bad boy,” Cas said, glaring at him from the pile of blankets. “Come. Sit. That’s an order.”

Dean scowled but made sure to neutralize his expression as he turned around. Cas rolled to one side of the bed to give him space, but the moment he sat, Cas grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him all the way down. Before Dean could even protest, Cas had rolled on top of him, still purring up a storm.

“Good boy,” he said. His eyes drooped half closed and he smiled, trailing a clumsy hand up Dean’s chest all the way to his throat. He then dropped his head to the crook of Dean’s neck and breathed deep, scenting him in an almost desperate manner. He sat back with a frown. “I wish I could smell you.”

Dean was paralyzed, not sure what he was supposed to do. This omega that used to want nothing to do with him was now sitting on top of him, smelling like candy, and flirting, albeit very badly. This omega, who was fully clothed, and him, who was very naked. And, while Gabe had been squeezing his knot hardly an hour earlier, he hadn’t smelled neither as sweet as Cas did right now.

“Cas, I—I don’t think you know what you’re doing,” he said. He was hesitant to push him away, or use any physical force at all. So he lay limply and let Cas stroke his face and his chest and shoulders, touching him everywhere as if this was his first time seeing him.

“Are you scared?” Cas asked, dipping down again to sniff his neck.

Dean could feel his lips and his tongue. His breath caught in his throat.

“Are you scared?” Cas asked again. “Are you happy? Are you nervous? I can’t tell. I can’t smell you.”

He started to groom Dean which only made him blush. Grooming was usually an act reserved only for post-sex between mates. Cas and him were neither sexual partners, nor mates. He wanted to pull away but didn’t want to upset Cas. He licked his lips, feeling Cas’s throat vibrate against his shoulder as he continued to purr as he licked.

“Cas,” he said, feeling heat start to gathering in his stomach.  

Cas pulled away, mouth hanging open and his tongue half out. He grinned. “I like what you say that,” he said. “Cas. You grit your teeth on the s.” He cocked his head. “Go on, say it again.”

“Cas,” Dean repeated and groaned again as Cas licked a wide stripe on neck and made his way up to his mouth.

They kissed long and deep. Cas’s hands rested on Dean’s ribs, right under his chest, and Dean had to ball his fists in the sheets to keep his hands to himself. It took all of his self-control to let himself go limp and to just let Cas kiss him. And it lasted _forever_. And it took Cas another eternity when he finally pulled away. He sat back and rubbed his eyes with a fist.

“Tired,” he muttered. He slid off of Dean and curled up on his side, pulling his legs up to his chest. He latched onto Dean’s arm though, tucking his chin as close to Dean’s neck as he could. “Can’t smell,” he murmured sleepily. “Can’t smell you. Hate it.”

“I can’t stay here, Cas,” Dean said. He clamped a hand over his nose, hoping to block out some of Cas’s intoxicating scent. It helped a little, not much, but a little. He gasped when Cas started grooming him right behind his ears. It tickled. “Cas!” he groaned. “Stop!”

Cas laughed – _giggled_ – and nuzzled closer, licking right into Dean’s ear and then biting the lobe teasingly.

And that’s all Dean could take. He hissed and snarled, rolling over on top of Cas and pinning his shoulders. He was all hot and sweaty and unable to stop himself and he leaned down and scented Cas behind his ears, skimming his teeth over the skin. He growled low in his throat, not sounding nearly as nice as Cas’s purr but so familiar it _hurt_.

Cas was whimpering now, soft omegian mews as he struggled weakly against Dean’s weight. The noises only drove Dean wild and the struggling – his knot throbbed and his dick grew hard again. Cas’s purring had stopped and now his eyes rolled weakly in their sockets as he whined.

“Bad,” he babbled. “Bad, bad, not good, bad.”

“Shh, shh, shh,” Dean said. He was testing his teeth on the skin of Cas’s neck now, right over the scent glands. He didn’t break the skin, just pressed gently, leaving indents as he licked and groomed and tasted sweet, sweet omega happiness.

It was turning to confusion now. Salty-sweet. Cas had gone limp now underneath him, baring his neck in the most basic form of submission he could muster. He was panting too, trying to purr but only managing small bursts in between breaths.

“Good omega,” Dean crooned.

He bit Cas’s neck over the Adam’s apple gently, just a warning to keep him in place as he slowly lifted one hand off his shoulder and hooked his fingers under the hem of Cas’s shirt. He tugged it up, letting out a sigh at the flawless skin. Alphas were always bruised or scarred from punishments or beatings. But omegas – Cas, he was flawless. All white and pink and soft and smooth.

Cas whined, finally managing to raise a hand to push against Dean’s face. Dean let him, mostly because the struggling was weak and pointless, and Cas wasn’t actually doing anything. If he struggled more though, Dean would have to pin him like the disobedient omega he was.

He growled as his fingers brushed over the buttons and zipper of Cas’s pants. He fumbled with them for a moment before they came undone. He ripped them down and Cas bucked his hips, letting out a choked gasp. Dean could feel his pulse against his tongue and smiled.

And then Cas came alive underneath him, yelling and punching and hissing. His scent turned bitter, horrible almost, suddenly smelling less and less like an omega. He screamed, both guttural and high pitched, piercing and painful. He twisted and writhed and wrapped his hands around Dean’s throat, wrenching him to the side.

Dean growled as he was levered off the bed, not expecting that kind of strength from Cas. He hit the ground hard, wincing as his shoulder and hip slammed into the hardwood floor. At least Cas had stopped screaming. Now, he was trying to stagger to his feet, drawing a blanket tight around his shoulders and he stumbled for the door.

“Oh no you don’t,” Dean snarled, rolling to the balls of his feet. A part of him like this kind of hunt, a little fight left in his prey. It sent a thrill through his blood that he hadn’t felt in a while. “Come back, little omega,” he said, trying to keep his voice happy and inviting. Cas wouldn’t be able to smell the lie. “I won’t hurt you.”

He prowled out the door, scenting the air and tracking Cas's movements. It was easy to see where the omega had gone when he left spicy tracks of fear and that unfamiliar bitter scent lingering behind him. It wasn’t as nice as the sweet candy of happiness that he had been before, and Dean considered giving up on the fun game of chase. But then his knot throbbed, reminding him of his need. And Cas was the closest omega to satisfy that need. Dean nearly groaned at the thought of him swollen with pups. What a thought! Dean couldn’t wait to get his hands on the omega now!

“What the absolute fuck?!”

Dean stiffened at the words, whirling around to see the second omega—Gabe, his brain supplied after a moment. He bared his teeth, hating the way the new smell of anger and disgust overpowered whatever was left of Cas’s smell. He didn’t like Gabe, didn’t like the way he smelled. He would just have to get rid of it.

Gabe looked harmless enough, dressing only in a bathrobe. His wet hair was plastered to his neck in the back and the forehead in the front. He stunk of anger and he scowled as Dean turned towards him, growling low in his throat. He only rolled his eyes.

“This is why we fucking can’t have nice things,” he said. He raised the black and silver gun that Dean hadn’t noticed before and settled the bead on Dean. Before Dean could even think of dodging out of the way, Gabe squeezed the trigger three times in quick succession. 

The red feather darts hit his shoulder and chest, leaving stinging points of pain. Dean staggered back, more out of surprise that anything. The darts made him dizzy so suddenly that he had to catch himself on the wall. Then he slid down the wallpaper and thudded to his knees. He tried to paw the darts away with rapidly numbing fingers but he only scrabbled uselessly at them before collapsing onto his shoulder. He gasped and flailed, his limbs feeling too heavy and too detached to be his. He looked up as two bare feet stopped directly in front of his face.

Gabe looked down at him with undisguised disgust.

 “Fucking alphas,” was the last thing Dean heard before his world dissolved into black.

 


	13. Understanding

Cas felt like his head was in the clouds and his heart was in hell. Literally. His chest burned like it had gotten torn open or something, and he was having a hard time catching his breath. He was clinging to Gabe like a newborn kit, sniffling into his neck in a desperate search for reassurance. He was desperate to smell something. _Anything_. He couldn’t shake the feeling of Dean’s weight over him or the noise of his possessive growling.

Cas whined and pressed his nose closer to Gabe’s neck, gently licking, searching. Gabe was whispering soft words to him, petting his hair and shoulders, letting him scent even if it was useless. “It’s okay,” he kept repeating. “It’s gonna be okay. It’s okay.”

They huddled together for a while, curled up on the floor of the hallway, unable to move any further. It took several minutes before Cas was able to wipe away his tears and loosen his grip on Gabe a little.

“We have to move him,” Gabe said quietly. “The betas are coming back until tomorrow morning. We need to muzzle him and everything ourselves before he wakes up.”

Cas shook his head and closed his eyes against the image of Dean, leering over him, his green eyes filled with something Cas had never seen before. Lust or rage or desire. Whatever it was, Cas didn’t like it.

“You can do it,” Gabe said. “Here, block your nose with your sleeve. Once we get him outside, you’ll feel much better.”

Cas sniffed back his tears and finally pulled away from Gabe, immediately placing his sleeve over his nose. He sniffed the fabric desperately, still searching for some sort of comfort. Gabe let him adjust to that before slowly shifting to his knees and pushing himself up, pulling Cas up with him.

“We can go get the restraints together,” he said, gently tugging Cas down the hall in the opposite direction of Dean. “You can even hold the dart gun.” He pushed the weapon into Cas’s free hand, holding tightly to his elbow to give him support.

Cas clutched the gun close to his chest, his fingers shaky on the trigger. He didn’t know how many shots it had left in it but it did feel good to hold onto something that could stop an alpha. His mind was still reeling and he felt shaky on his feet.

He and Gabe walked quickly and carefully to the playroom. Cas sat down on the sofa with the gun in his lap while Gabe dug through the cupboards for the necessary items. He pulled down a tangle of leather straps, hoods and mitts, buckles that Cas didn’t want to think about but was forced to as Gabe shoved them into his hands to carry. Newly armed, they made their way back to the hall where Dean slept.

Gabe carefully removed the three darts first before rolling Dean onto his chest. He pulled his arms behind his back, forearm to forearm, and securing them tight. He then bent Dean’s leg up, so that his heel pressed into his thigh, and secured that too on both legs. He worked quickly and wordlessly, letting Cas keep his distance for the most part. A gag and muzzle came next, a long rubber phallus slid down his throat that he couldn’t resist and then secured with a tight panel, blocking nearly the entire bottom half of his face. A blindfold went over his eyes, and a wide leather collar around his throat, blocking his scent glands, and a cage went over his now-soft dick, blocking his knot.

The last item sat between them, looking harmless but far from innocent.

The long, black dildo had straps that could wrap around the waist and attach to the cage, creating a full chastity belt. It would also be extremely uncomfortable considering that alphas weren’t built to take things up the ass.

“What do you think?” Gabe said.

Cas only shrugged, slumping weakly back against the wall. He felt too exhausted to think.

With a small packet of lube, Gabe slicked up the dildo and slid it inside Dean. His lax body took it with no resistance, and Gabe carefully locked it into place before falling back next to Cas. They sat in silence for a long moment, just staring at Dean’s now-restrained form. It was Gabe who finally broke the silence.

“You smell drunk,” he said. “Is that how Dean got you into bed? Too much alcohol?”

Cas shook his head. “No,” he immediately said. “No! No, I don’t – it’s hard to remember. I – I wanted him to wash up after what you – I let him up and I felt all woozy in the bathroom.” He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “I don’t remember,” he admitted, scared at the way the details evaded him.

He remembered the play room and what else? The blurry details of what had just happened were slowly, reluctantly returning to him. It was still a mess. How had they gotten in the bedroom? How had Dean gotten on top of him? How had they ended up mouth-to-mouth, scenting each other like they were mates?! Cas buried his face in his hands. He flinched when Gabe grabbed his shirt and tugged his close, sniffing his neck.

“You don’t smell aroused though either,” Gabe commented offhandedly. “Wonder what drove Dean wild.” He let go of Cas.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Cas said, feeling obligated to convince Gabe, to defend himself. “I don’t know what happened. It _wasn’t_ my fault.”

“I’m going to move Dean outside,” Gabe said, acting like he hadn’t heard a thing Cas said. “You stay. I’ll deal with you next.” He pushed himself to his feet, muttering complaints about drunk brothers and alphas in rut.

Cas gave up the argument and watch with disinterest as Gabe rolled Dean over and somehow hoist him up and drag him away. With Dean finally gone, Cas could relax completely. He could let his mind float. He didn’t have to think about what had just happened. He was still on the floor when Gabe came stomping back. He looked a little ridiculous wearing a bathroom and heavy hiking boots but Cas knew better then to comment.

“I can’t believe I’m in a house of kits,” Gabe grumbled.

Cas let himself be pulled to his feet and leaned heavily on Gabe for support. They walked down the hallway and finally arrived at a new bedroom, one that was clean and pristine and hadn’t been ripped apart. Cas was sat down on the bed as Gabe pulled back the blankets and laid him down.

“You’re like a kit,” he said, although his voice was a bit softer now. “All bumbling about, just learning how to smell the world, getting into all sorts of trouble.” He leaned down to scent Cas carefully, slowly, lovingly. “Drunk,” he murmured. “Off of whiskey and beer. I should have known better.” He petted Cas’s bangs away from his forehead. “Tomorrow, I promise, we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

Cas let himself close his eyes under Gabe’s ministrations, exhaustion pulling him down into unconsciousness. He finally fell asleep under the thick quilts and Gabe’s watchful eye.

 

~*~

 

“Cas, you need breakfast if you don’t want to feel like shit.”

Cas wanted to ignore the words and the hand that was jostling his shoulder roughly back and forth. He didn’t want to wake up. Everything seemed so painful. His head throbbed with a migraine and his stomach felt like it was tied in knots. At least he didn’t feel like he was floating outside his body anymore. Gabe shook him harder.

“Get up, come on. I’m not going to let you sleep in all day.”

Cas was going to roll over and continue to ignore Gabe but a splash of water hit him in the fast, snapping him out of his stupor as he sat upright, already coughing.

“Sorry,” Gabe said although his voice didn’t sound sorry at all. “But you need food in you, especially after yesterday.”

Yesterday. The memory, or the blurry remnants of it, made Cas groan and want to curl back up under the blankets. Gabe was already tearing his blankets away though, shoving a bundle of clothes into his hands, forcing him to get ready for the day.

“We have a lot of work to do,” he said, moving purposefully around to room, opening up the curtains to let sunlight poor in and pulling the blankets completely out of Cas’s grip. “ _I_ have a lot of work to do. Never, in my entire life, did I think I would have to teach an omega how to be an omega.”

Cas frowned, already sensing where this was going. “If you want me to deal with Dean, I don’t want to,” he said. He abandoned his place in bed and stood. He pulled off his shirt and threw it on the floor.

“You won’t be dealing with Dean,” Gabe said, picking up the shirt. “ _I_ will. You will be watching and taking notes. And then, you will spend the day with the betas.”

Cas wrinkled his nose. “I’m not going to spend the day with the cleaners,” he said. “I just want to rest. I’m tired.” He hoped Gabe would give in and just let him have bedrest, but Gabe was stubborn.

“Well, we all don’t get what we want,” he said. “I wanted a nice peaceful get-away from work to spend a few leisurely days wasting time with an alpha. But here I am, having to referee a match made in hell.”

“You’re the one who bought him,” Cas said, following Gabe out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. “Not me. I made it very clear that I didn’t want an alpha, okay? You’re the one who went to the center and insisted on getting one.”

“You know,” Gabe said, getting two bowls down out of a cupboard followed by a box of granola. He filled them both generously, acting like Cas hadn’t even said anything. “Some doctors link a celibate lifestyle with cancer.”

Cas felt his cheeks go hot. “I do _not_ want to discuss my sex life,” he growled, snatched one of the bowls away.

“And there is other studies,” Gabe went on, grabbing the quarter gallon jug of milk out of the fridge and pouring a splash into each bowl. “About genital health and blood flow. Toxins can collect in that area specifically because the body is constantly producing semen—”  

“Shut up!” Cas snapped. He slammed the silverware drawer shut loudly, cutting him off. He stuffed a large spoonful of granola into his mouth.

“I’m just saying,” Gabe said. “I’m looking out for your health.”

“You’ve kept me under house arrest ever since . . .” Cas trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. He munched the cereal in anger.

Gabe spoon clattered against the ceramic of his bowl. “You mean, you haven’t . . . . all this time?”

Cas shrugged, feeling stupid now that it was said out loud. He hated himself. “Don’t want to, not with anyone else,” he mumbled. “I don’t know. I can’t smell the difference.” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

Gabe snorted and set his empty bowl in the sink. “I’m going to take the shower that I didn’t get to finish last night,” he said. “There’s another bathroom for you, if you want. The betas will be coming in a couple hours.”

Cas didn’t want the betas to come. He didn’t want to be around anyone right now. He stared purposefully out the window over the sink, ignoring Gabe. He took another bite of his cereal and almost choked when he finally noticed the small house at the edge of the lawn, a little battered and washed out, but standing nonetheless. Around it was a worn down circle of dirt, all the grass beaten down so that it wouldn’t grow back.

And tied to a stout length of chain, curled up on his side, was Dean.  

The restraints wrapped around his arms and legs made it look far from comfortable, but if Cas squinted, he could see Dean’s side rising and falling in a steady pattern as if he were asleep. As Cas watched, he flexed his shoulders and rolled over, giving Cas a view of his muzzled face.

Quickly, Cas turned away from the window, tempted to duck down under the sill like he was hiding. Instead, he dumped the rest of his cereal into the sink and found the bottle of painkillers, downing two with a quick gulp of water. He decided a shower was definitely worth it and he hurried out of the kitchen, wondering how much he stunk like Dean.

Just in case, he washed his hair twice and used a good handful of body wash and sat under the hot water until the mirror was fogged up and his skin was pink from the heat. Then he wrapped himself in a large towel and tiptoed back to the bedroom, listening carefully for Gabe. He dressed quickly. He was pulling on a pair of socks when a shout from Gabe made him flinch.

“Betas are here! Cas? Where are you?”

Cas gulped. He didn’t want to face them. He wondered if Gabe had said anything. Cas felt dirty, like a prostitute. He tried to shake off the feeling. No, it was perfectly natural for omegas to sleep around with alphas. It was alphas that were the sluts, eager for anything with a hole that could squeeze their knot. He had only been doing what was natural.

It hadn’t felt natural last night.

“Coming!” he called back though he was sure he hadn’t been loud enough.  

He recognized the cleaners from last night, the ones that had helped unload all their stuff. The young man with brown hair and the woman with dirty blonde hair. Gabe was standing with them, going through something on his phone. He looked up as Cas walked closer.

“Oh good,” he said. “Cas, this is Inias and Hester, betas.” He gestured to the man and then to the woman. “Betas, this is Cas.”

“Hello,” Inias said, being the first to offer Cas a smile and a handshake.

Cas took it, just so that he wouldn’t look rude. Hester copied the gesture as well.

“You’ll be staying with them for most of the day,” Gabe said. Inias and Hester didn’t look surprised by the news so they must’ve been told beforehand. “While I deal with matters that need to be dealt with.”

Cas thought to Dean, still sleeping outside, unaware of what the day was going to bring. He didn’t get a chance to say anything else as Gabe walked off, turning his attention back to his phone. Cas stood awkwardly, not wanting to be there. He was tempted to cross his arms and pout, but Inias spoke up.

“Hester and I were going to prepare a small lunch and then do light cleaning in the bedrooms and such,” he said. “Mr. Novak also mentioned the play room needing to be picked up.”

Oh, no, Cas wasn’t about to go in there anytime soon. He also didn’t want to work with food. He kept his fingers crossed that Inias would say they had to clean to bedrooms first.

“We figured we’d start with lunch,” Inias said. “Something small that we can put in the fridge to keep until we need to heat it.”

Cas relented, following them to the kitchen. He could deal with food for now, although he made a point of avoiding the window over the sink so that he didn’t have to look out and see Dean. Inias gave him a bowl of apples and a knife and set him to peeling the fruit for salad. He and Hester worked easily around each other, taking out pots and pans and starting to mix flour and eggs and baking soda. Cas ignored them for the most part, too tired to look at their faces to figure out what they are feeling and too exhausted to care that he couldn’t smell. He worked in silence.

“So,” Inias said, after several long minutes of quiet. “How was last night, Mr. Novak?”

“Horrible,” Cas said with a grunt, slicing particularly hard through the apple he was working on. The knife thudded against the cutting board.

“Oh?” Inias said, stubbornly attempting to keep the conversation going. “Is that why Dean is outside?”

Cas froze mid-slice. “No,” he said. “Yes. Look!” He spun on Inias, jabbing the knife at him, watching as he flinched. “This is all your fault! You’re the one who told me I had to be kind to him! You’re the one who said I had to talk to him!”

Inias backed up against the counter, his eyes flitting nervously between Cas and the knife. Hester had also stiffened, and Cas noticed how her hand had gone to the handle of the cooking pan she had already doused in oil. Heavy enough to be a weapon even if it would be awkward to wield.

Cas immediately drew himself back. He set the knife back down on the counter and even stepped away from it, burying his face in his hands. He didn’t want to see the mix of emotions crossing their faces. He was just glad he couldn’t smell it.

“You don’t have to explain,” Inias said softly after a long pause. “If you don’t want to.”

“It’s your fault,” Cas repeated. He didn’t want to explain. He wanted to crawl back into bed and fall back asleep. “You said . . . . the words. You said Dean needed words.” He glared at Inias, finally finding the courage again. “You said he needed fucking encouragement!”

“Mr. Novak mentioned he got loose,” Hester said, her fingers still curled tight around the handle of the pan.

“He attacked me!” Cas blurted. “He fucking – he attacked me! He nearly –” He didn’t want to think about it. It made him shudder.

“I’m sorry,” Inias said, his voice a careful quiet.

Before Cas could continue his yelling, a door somewhere else in the how banged open, and an animalistic yelp of pain echoed through the house. It was followed quickly by a snarl and a crash. Cas wasn’t sure if he could hear Gabe cursing or not. Both he, Inias, and Hester all stood silently, listening as the grunting and struggling continued until there was another door slam, and finally silence.

“Can I . . . can I try again?” Inias said.

Cas couldn’t help but notice how his head was cocked to the side, baring his neck, eyes downcast, submissive. His shirt collar slid down surreptitiously, showing the slight bulge of his scent gland, unmarked and unbitten. Betas didn’t normally show submissive behavior to either omegas or alphas, unless social norms had changed since Cas had been bedridden. Inias wasn’t exactly baring his stomach, but he was showing Cas respect.

“Fine,” Cas said, setting the knife down. “I just . . . . I don’t know how to handle everything.”

Inias stepped up to his side and reached across the counter to rip a paper towel off the roll. He ripped off two strips and balled them up, sticking them unceremoniously up his nose. He gave Cas an awkward smile. “Something like this, right?” he said.

Cas raised an eyebrow. “I don’t get it,” he said.

Inias tapped the side of his nose and looked to Hester for support. “You know,” he said. “You can’t smell. This isn’t, like, offensive, right?”

At first, Cas wasn’t sure how he was supposed to react. Neither did Hester, apparently. They both sat there, just sort of looking at Inias, confused. Then, it clicked in Cas’s mind. _Understanding_. Inias was trying to understand. He was doing his best to put himself in Cas’s shoes and figure out how he felt to the best of his ability. Cas shook his head and turned back to the cutting board, rolling the apple slices in his fingers.

“No, it’s fine,” he said.

Inias picked up the next apple and grabbed another knife out of the drawer. As he readied it to cut down, his grip slipped and he almost dropped it. He laughed nervously, reaching up to rub his nose.

“This is a little awkward,” he said. “You’ll have to help me get used to it.”

Cas blinked. No one had ever needed his help for anything before. Awkwardly, he picked up his own knife and another apple for himself. He showed Inias how to keep the apple in place instead of relying on smelling where it was. Hester started a boiling pot of noodles and ignored them for the most part. Cas didn’t mind. He and Inias bumped shoulders and knocked into each other as they worked around the kitchen.

Inias laughed each time, shrugging his shoulders and chalking each instance up to his own clumsiness. He wrinkled his nose and kept trying to make jokes about how everything smelled like napkins.

Cas did his best to laugh along with each joke Inias made. He wasn’t used to spending this much time with someone who wasn’t Gabe or who actually made conversation with him. He felt like he was too loud and too awkward and just too everything. Inias didn’t seem to mind. And for once, Cas found himself actually better at something than someone else. Inias had to poor all his focus into the task, too used to using his sense of smell to track where items were. Cas, on the other hand, knew how to hold the apple in place and cut it using his sense of touch, letting his mind wander to other things.

And he let his mind wander to Dean.  

 


	14. On the Same Page

And Dean was thinking about how he was going to tear Gabe limb from limb.

If he could stand, maybe. His legs were somehow strapped to his thighs and his arms were tied behind his back. Maybe, if he could get his knees underneath him, he could heave himself up and then . . . and then. And then he would chew through his gag, rip his arms free, pin Gabe on the floor, and _fuck_ the attitude right out of him.  

“When I bought a house alpha, I didn’t realize that you would be _this much_ of a problem.”

Gabe was lounging on the couch, the same couch he and Cas had sat on last night. He cupped a glass of burgundy wine in one hand and was pressing a cold compact against his forehead with the other. He looked exasperated. He smelled like he was faking everything.

Dean glared up at him from the floor, chewing purposefully on his gag, hating the way it dipped into the back of his throat, tickling his gag reflex just barely. Growling would only get him in trouble, but Dean was very, very tempted to snarl.

“I mean, honestly,” Gabe said, moving the compact from his forehead to his temple. “When I got a three week old alpha, I certainly didn't expect . . . Well, this.”

Dean huffed through his nose and let himself growl softly, just a warning. That seemed to snap Gabe out of it. He sighed and tossed the compact aside, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He took a careful sup of wine and finally spoke.

“I don't think you understand,” he said. “You are replaceable. I can send you back to the center with bad reviews.” He voice changed, sounding high pitched and scared. “You don’t understand, sirs, he attacked me like a _savage_. I'm traumatized! I don't want him near me or my family ever again.”

Dean felt a rock drop into his stomach. He had forgotten about that option. The option where he was sent away because he was too much of a problem.

“You know what they do to savage alphas?” Gabe continued, his voice returning to normal. “Well, if you aren't put down on the spot, you'll be sent to a brothel, a whorehouse. They don't care as much. They'll strap you down, gag you if need be, let omegas ride you or fuck you, whatever the customer wants. I've heard some betas get off on beating alphas senseless. How long would your attitude last in a place like that I wonder.”

Dean let his growling trail off but didn't stop glaring. He didn't want Gabe to think he could use scare tactics that easily.

“I'm going to give you one more chance,” Gabe said. He set aside his glass of wine and stood, walking over to one of the smaller cupboards. He opened it, rummaged around for a moment, and pulled out a strange looking piece of equipment and a plastic medical package.

It looked like a gag almost, or at least something that would go around his head. Dean warily squirmed, testing the strength of the bonds on his arms. Still nothing.

“Nose plugs,” Gabe said, letting the thing dangle in front of his face as he walked back to the couch. “Whatever you want to call it. Olfactory capsules so that you can only smell one thing, and one thing only.”

He ripped open the plastic package with his teeth and took out two small tablets. He carefully fitted them into the two small plugs before closing them with a snap. He set aside the rest of the plastic bag and stood.

“In this case,” he said, walking to Dean’s side. “That one thing will be aroused omega. If you can make it through today without snapping, then you can make it through anything. Hm?” He slipped the strap around Dean’s head and the two plugs up his nose before tightening the entire thing snugly.

It felt awkward, a little uncomfortable. Not as bad as the gag in his mouth at the moment but irritating nonetheless. And the _smell_. The goddamn smell. Overpowering and so strong it blocked out everything else. It didn’t smell like Gabe or Cas specifically, but it didn’t smell like one specific omega either. Like a mix of a dozen different smells, and it made Dean’s world spin.

Fruit-y. Sweet. Sour. Heady.

Dean was barely coherent as Gabe undid the straps on his gag and slipped it out of his mouth. He could only moan, vaguely aware that tears were streaming down his cheeks. He felt the restraints on his arms and legs go slack, and he weakly pushed himself up.

“That’s a good boy,” Gabe said, sinking pack down on the couch.

Dean couldn’t even get farther than his hands and knees. His knot throbbed against the cage that was keeping it deflated. He panted and it took him a moment to realize that Gabe was laughing, laughing at _him_.

“Nothing knocks an alpha on their ass like going nose blind,” he said. He nudged Dean with his foot. “Come on. Get up, you great oaf.”

Dean managed to push himself all the way up, wobbling a little as he found himself unable to orientate himself. He was drooling at the sight of Gabe. He grabbed the omega’s arm, intending to do something about the heat gathering in his stomach. Instead, Gabe brushed off his hand like it was nothing, his grip too weak to actually mean anything.

“We’ve got stuff to do,” he said, reaching under Dean’s chin to clip the leash to his collar. He gave it a gentle tug, and Dean lurched forward, thrown nearly off balance.

Right away, he could tell this day was going to be rough, and things only got worse when Gabe shoved a bucket of soapy water and a rag into his hands. Dean found himself on his hands and knees in the lobby of the house, scrubbing the hardwood floors while Gabe lounged in an office chair a little ways away. It was the kind with wheels that clattered whenever it moved, and it moved a lot. Gabe like to push himself around with his heels while he stared at his phone.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Gabe said with a laugh, dragging himself over. “Look at this video! This is hilarious!”

It was a video of an alpha, with mitts on his hands and his ankles cuffed to his thighs. He was rolled over on his back, eyes crossed as he tried to focus on a piece of tape on his forehead. He was twisting back and forth, trying to both see it and knock it off. In the background of the video, Dean could hear laughter as whatever omegas or betas watched the alpha’s struggling.

Gabe sighed and took his phone back. “Why can't you be that cute?” he mused out loud.

Dean couldn't gather his thoughts enough to make a retort. He could only groan and slump his head. He let himself rest for a moment before re-dunking his rag into the water and continuing to scrub. He ignored Gabe for the most part, which was easy. When he couldn't smell him, it wasn't hard to block him out. It wasn't until he heard the soft thump of footsteps did he even think to glance up. He froze at what he saw, his grip tightening around his rag.

Cas locked eyes with him and didn't look away.

He looked different from last night. Better. His eyes weren't cloudy and vague but sharp and fearful. He stepped closer to the two cleaners with him and finally looked away, turning up his nose at Dean's presence.

Dean almost groaned, wishing he could smell him instead the two plugs up his nose, wishing he could smell how he was feeling. Before he could say anything, Cas was hurrying away, the two cleaners on either side of him. And Dean was left alone with Gabe again. He dunked the cloth in the water again and squeezed it out. At least he was almost done. He wanted this day to be over. He wanted to curl up in a soft bed and get a good night’s rest, instead of the hard ground he had had to endure last night.

He side-eyed Gabe for a quick moment and then continued scrubbing.

It took him several more minutes before the entire floor was cleaned and by then his knees were starting to protest the hardwood. Dean gathered the bucket and cloth and reluctantly crawled to Gabe's feet.

“Done, Omega,” he said softly, already dreading the next activity.

“Good boy,” Gabe said, stuffing his phone back into his pocket and standing. “Come on, we’re gonna have a big long talk, _alone_. And then we’re going to have another big long talk, with Cas.”

Dean gritted his teeth and restrained himself from lashing out. Instead, he pushed himself to his feet and picked up the bucket of water. “Yes, Omega,” he mumbled, following Gabe as he walked off casually down the hall, hands in his pockets as if he did this every day.

To Dean’s dismay, they made their way to the play room they had been in both this morning and last night. The bench he had been strapped to before was shoved off to one side of the room this time and the cupboards holding all the toys and torture devices were thankfully closed. Still, Dean was on edge, especially when Gabe flopped down on the couch.

“You know I like you,” Gabe said. “The first time I saw you at the center, you know what I said to myself? I said to myself ‘damn, Gabe, if there was ever an alpha that could plow you into a mattress and you wouldn’t mind begging for more that one is _it_.’ That’s what I said to myself.”

Dean looked up, momentarily surprised, then slightly disgusted that Gabe would think about him like that. He narrowed his eyes, shifting from foot to foot.

“Oh, get that stick out of your ass and sit down,” Gabe said. “You act like I did something so horrible. You forget you’re an alpha.”

Dean actually scowled as he slipped to his knees, slumping back on his heels. He was still thrown off by the scent of arousal being pumped directly into his nose and not being able to smell Gabe. He wondered if he could rip the contraption off with his bare hands.

“I told Cas a week before we sponsored you that you were coming,” Gabe went on. “I thought that would be enough. Damn it all though, I guess not. So here’s what’s going to happen, alright? Look at me. Fucking look me in the eyes, right now.”

Dean reluctantly looked up and locked eyes with Gabe. He held back a snarl.

“You are going to pull your fucking act together,” Gabe said, jabbing a finger at Dean to punctuate each word. “You are going to respect both me and Cas. You’re not going to scare my brother and you are going to keep your fucking dick to yourself. Understand me?”

Dean grunted and nodded.

“And to help you do that,” Gabe said. “You’re going to be wearing a knot cage from now until further notice. Any objections so far?”

Dean shuddered, feeling goosebumps crawl down his spine. He had no choice but to nod.

“Good,” Gabe said. “It’s nice to see we’re on the same page now. Glad you could see it my way.”

“Omega,” Dean said softly, hating that his voice was so quiet and submissive. Hated that his muscles trembled under Gabe’s condescending gaze. Hated that this small omega could make him feel this way.

“Shut the fuck up,” Gabe snapped. “I’m tired of being Mr. Nice Omega. You had your chance and now I’m making things quite clear: you will obey, you will behave, and you will make Cas’s life a nice, peachy walk in the park.”

Dean hung his head. “Yes, Omega.”

“Good,” Gabe said. “Because in a couple minutes, Cas is going to enter this room. You are not going to look at him. You are going to roll over and present your stomach and throat like a good little alpha. Then, if Cas is feeling generous, you will get the sensory blockers taken off. And _then_ , you are going to apologize for your actions and beg Cas to forgive you.”

“Yes, Omega,” Dean repeated. Honestly, at this point, he would do just about anything to get the plugs out of his nose.

“Good,” Gabe said. “Sit there, don’t move, and for the love of all things holy, stop panting like a dog.”

Dean snapped his mouth shut, his cheeks going hot. He had been trying to avoid breathing through his nose, but even that he wasn’t allowed to do. Instead, he attempted to sit as quiet as he could and hope that Gabe didn’t think he deserved a punishment.

It was several long minutes before the door to the room cracked open, and a conversation outside drifted through.

“Thank you for joining us today, Cas,” an unfamiliar voice said. “It was very fun. I hope we can talk again sometime.”

“Of course, Inias,” Cas said, stepping halfway through the door but looking back out into the hallway. “It was . . . . yeah, it was fun.”

He eased the door shut with a soft click and finally turned to the room, sweeping his gaze over Dean and Gabe before settling on the couch. He hurried to his seat and eased himself down gently, settling with his hands in his lap and his eyes on his feet.

“Hello, Cas,” Gabe said. “Glad you could join us.”

Cas reached up and rubbed his nose, glancing up briefly. “Of course,” he said. “How is. . . how is Dean?”

“He’s ready to see it your way,” Gabe said. His gaze was cold and hard as he studied Dean. “Aren’t you, Alpha.”

Dean whined but dipped his head and tucked his shoulder, rolling onto his back. He drew his hands up to his chin and even went so far as to spread his legs. He felt like a dog as he let himself look beggingly to Cas. He wasn’t sure if he was allowed to speak.

“Please, Omega,” he begged anyway. “Please.”

“We had a good talk while you were out, Cas,” Gabe said, ignoring Dean like he hadn’t spoken at all. “Dean is going to be a good boy from now on. He’s going to obey, and he’s going to keep his hands to himself from now on.”

Dean nodded emphatically. “Yes, Omega,” he said, still looking to Cas, studying his face, looking for any sort of sympathy.

“Do you have anything else to say, Alpha?” Gabe said pointedly.

Dean turned his head to the side and stared at the floor. “I am sorry, Omega,” he said. “Please forgive me. I am so so sorry.” He sucked in a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. “Please forgive this useless alpha.”

“Stop it,” Cas said, his tone snappy and tight. “Stop that. I forgive you so stop it.”

Dean let his shoulders slump and laid his head back on the floor, breathing a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Omega,” he whispered, not daring to look at Gabe.

“Can he. . . can he take that off too?” Cas said.

“If you think he deserves it,” Gabe said.

Almost immediately, Dean felt gentle hands on his cheeks as they worked the straps open, and finally the plugs slipped out. He took a huge breath of fresh air, reeling at the flood of new smells. He was actually crying when he smelled Cas’s worry hovering over him and the lingering smells of what he now knew were betas and Gabe’s smug satisfaction. He scented desperately, wanting to draw in everything at once, and all he could focus on was the fact that he never wanted to go through that ever again.

 


	15. Deal

Cas shuddered at the way Dean’s tongue licked over the back of his hands and the way he whimpered and whined like he was broken. He briefly considered the fact that maybe Gabe _had_ broken Dean, pushed him too far. Dean was certainly acting broken. Cas let him lick his fingers until he tried to suck one into his mouth. At that, he pulled away.

“What is this?” he asked, dangling the thing that had been in Dean’s nose in front of him before tossing it at Gabe. He didn’t want to touch it.

“Nothing, just a toy,” Gabe said with a shrug, picking up the thing and quickly slipping it into his pocket. “It blocks his senses so he can focus better, nothing else.”

Cas guessed that it was something more than that by the way Dean was silently crying on the floor but didn’t press the matter. He should feel scared, but he couldn't muster the fear with Dean curled up on the floor.

“Now that we have all forgiven one another,” Gabe went on. “Dean can continue being a help to you. He's gonna help clean up your room and we're going to forget what happened last night.”

Cas swallowed. Yeah, wouldn't that be easy to just shove it all under the rug. But he certainly didn't want Dean to stay down on the floor any longer. He gently nudged his shoulder with his shoe, watching as Dean flinched and cowered further.

“I'll take him back to my room,” he decided.

“And you’ll be good, won’t you Dean?” Gabe said. His tone was both teasing and serious, prompting Dean to shudder once and nod quickly. “That’s a good boy. And Cas, let me know if he causes any more trouble.”

Cas crouched again, warily tapping Dean on the shoulder. Dean’s eyes jumped to Cas’s face for the briefest moment before he swallowed and slowly pushed himself to his feet. He kept his head down and his hands clasped in front of him.

“Come with me,” Cas whispered, keeping his own voice down.

Gabe was already back to his phone as they walked out of the room. Apparently, he deemed the situation fixed enough that Dean no longer warranted his attention. And neither did Cas. He let them walk out of the room without another word.

Cas and Dean walked along silently until they reached the bedroom. Cas hesitated in the doorway, feeling his heart skip a beat in his chest. Without thinking, he brought his hand up to his nose and pinched it shut. Not that he already couldn’t smell, but he didn’t want to think about what the room _did_ smell like. He didn’t want to think of how Dean _was_ able to smell what he couldn’t. He shook off the feeling and stepped all the way into the room. He made it all the way to the dresser before glancing back and realizing that Dean had frozen in the doorway of the room as well. His hand was over his mouth as he stared blankly at the bed.

“I am so sorry,” he whispered and then gagged, bending over as if he were going to vomit. He didn't, thankfully. Only dry-heaved a couple times and then straightened, his face more pale than before.

“What?” Cas said.

Dean had his hand pressed over his nose, eyes watering again, although they didn't seem to be tears. “The smell,” he managed. “I never realized – I'm sorry.” And then he was doubled over dry-heaving again, hand braced on the wall to help him balance.

Suddenly, Cas felt self-conscious all over again. He felt blind and dumb. He balled his hands into fists and did his best not to scent the place over himself. “I don’t – Inias and Hester haven’t cleaned – I can’t smell it,” he said.

“I’m good,” Dean said, although he didn’t sound like it. He took a deep breath and stood straight again. “I’m good.” As if saying it again could convince himself.

“Ah, Mr. Novak said this bedroom would need new sheets.”

Cas looked gratefully to Inias as he stepped past Dean and into the room. His presence seemed to renew Dean’s upset stomach, and he immediately doubled over again, retching. Inias didn’t seem to mind, only stepped past him clutching a bundle of sheets and blankets.  

“I don’t understand what’s wrong,” Cas said, hovering over Inias’s shoulder as he ripped off the old blankets and starting to remake the bed. Dean was making a racket in the doorway with all his gagging.

“It’s . . . . biological,” Inias said, grimacing as he dropped the old sheets in a pile on the floor. “Alpha, please, step out into the hall. It will be a help to everyone.”

Dean grunted in response and staggered out of the room.

“It’s biological,” Inias went on. “At least, that’s what scientists agree on. I’m studying human biology at the university in town.” He waved a dismissive hand and unfolded the new sheets. “That’s beside the point. It’s an omegian body’s natural response to unwanted mating attempts. When the body registers both arousal and stress, the pituitary gland dumps alphic androgens into the blood. It’s supposed to discourage the alpha – or whoever is attempting to mate – from mounting.”

“I don’t get it,” Cas said. He felt awkward, like he was getting The Talk from his parents for the first time which wasn’t a fun feeling.

“Alphic androgens, in large doses, smell god-awful to alphas,” Inias said, wrinkling his nose as he worked. “And mildly off putting to betas. By releasing them in large doses, it’s the body’s way of trying to discourage the alpha from continuing the mount. In theory, if the omega no longer smells appetizing, then the alpha will lose interest. What Dean didn’t smell last night, is hitting him full force today.”

“You mean, last night,” Cas said, struggling to swallow around the lump in his throat. “I didn’t smell – Gabe said that I . . . he said I smelled like arousal. Which is what drove Dean to – to do what he did.”

“Omegas can’t smell them,” Inias said, tucking the sheets into the corners of the mattress. “The androgens aren’t meant to signal other omegas, they are meant to signal the alpha trying to mate.”

“Oh,” Cas said stupidly.

“It’s actually all very interesting,” Inias went on, smoothing out new pillowcases. “The lectures are two hours long but I love every minute. Scientists are still trying to figure out how everything works. There are so many social experiments out there. In one, a dozen alphas were put in a house with cameras in every room. The goal was to see if they would establish some sort of hierarchy.” He tossed the new blankets over the bed, brushing out the wrinkles. “They didn’t, of course. But it was amazingly interesting to watch how they handled different stimuli.”

“Is that what you want to do?” Cas said, watching as Inias gathered up the dirty sheets and blankets. “Study alphas?"

“I want to study _people_ ,” Inias said, settling back on his heels and giving him a shy smile. “But that’s not why I’m here now. I’m here to clean, not take up all your time.”

“I wish you could stay,” Cas blurted as Inias started towards to door. He preferred his company to Dean’s or Gabe’s.

“Hester won’t like me if I make her clean up the kitchen all by herself,” Inias said. “And now I have a load of laundry to do. At least maybe Dean will have learned his lesson. There’s no better way to teach a dog that to rub its nose in its own filth.”

Cas wasn’t sure if that was completely accurate but he didn’t protest as Inias slipped out of the room. A couple moments later, Dean shuffled back in, looking much more ashamed and embarrassed than before.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled again.

“Please,” Cas said, hurrying to the dresser. “Stop saying that.” He pulled open the top drawer and rummaged around inside. “And put these on. I don’t want you naked.” He tossed the pair of underwear at Dean before realizing how bossy he sounded. “Please,” he added.  

Dean took the shorts gratefully and stepped into them, pulling them up quickly. He still stood in the doorway, apparently not wanting to step completely inside. And he fidgeted restlessly too. “What did he say?” he said. “The beta.”

“Nothing interesting,” Cas said. He didn’t understand it himself and didn’t feel like explaining it either. “Nothing . . . at all.”

“I really am sorry,” Dean mumbled, edging his way along the outside of the room. “It’s Gabe’s fault, he’s the one who—”

“Shut up,” Cas said, staring down at his shoes.

Dean immediately shut up.

“Look,” Cas said, finally looking up. He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I don’t like this any more than you. I don't want you here. You don’t want to be here. Gabe wants us to get along. As long as he is happy, _we_ don’t get any flack. Understand? So . . . so fucking fake it, okay?”

Dean flinched, probably because his tone turned so harsh. Cas, for once, didn’t care.

“We’re going to do whatever makes Gabe happy,” Cas went on and then rethought his words. “Within boundaries, of course. Alright?”

“Alright,” Dean whispered.

“Good,” Cas said. “Good, because with you, I have more freedom. And that’s a good thing. For me. Okay? Okay.”

Dean nodded.

“I don’t know how long we have to stay here,” Cas went on. “So here’s the deal. You obey and whatever, and I’ll do my best to keep Gabe’s hands to himself.”

Dean visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much,” he said. “Honestly, thank you.”

Cas sighed too and collapsed on the bed, falling onto his back and covering his face with his hands. “I just want to sleep,” he groaned. “Sit down or whatever, just don’t bother me.”

He listened as Dean shuffled around and got comfortable. Cas wasn’t really tired but he didn’t want to do anything other than lay there. He close his eyes and buried his face in his pillows. After a while of just lying there, he eventually did doze off.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> boy howdy, that biology is mostly bullshit, that's only half of how pheromones work


	16. Out and About

“We’re going to town,” Gabe declared around lunch time several days later. He walked into the kitchen without any other hello, making Dean flinch.

Dean had been washing the dishes from breakfast and listening to Cas talk with Inias about some movie that had just come out. Really only half-listening. He was more focused on scrubbing away the stains on the plates and bowls. At the appearance of Gabe, Inias ducked his head and hurried out of the room after bidding Gabe a quick “good day, sir.”

Since Dean currently had suds up to his elbows it wasn’t like he could leave the sink, but he did pause in his scrubbing to look respectfully at Gabe’s feet. At least he was dressed in sweatpants even if the cage around his knot was uncomfortable.

“Did you want something to eat before leaving?” he offered. He was figuring out that if he offered his services Gabe was less likely to force him to do work.

“We’ll be eating out,” Gabe said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean watched Cas’s head snap up and his eyes narrow. So eating out wasn’t a normal thing apparently. He carefully finished wiping down the plate he was on before drying his hands and turning to Gabe.

“Here,” Gabe said, holding up a leash to Dean.

He was already wearing a stiff leather collar that had been placed on him the day after his apology and hadn’t been taken off since. It was getting easier to ignore though, but Gabe expected him to snap the leash on himself. Dean’s stomach went sour.

“What if I don’t want to go?” Cas said, ignoring Dean’s internal struggle.

“What if we’re going home after a little bit of eating and shopping?” Gabe countered, raising his eyebrows.

The leash latched closed over Dean’s identification tabs with a snap that was awkwardly loud in the suddenly quiet kitchen. He held the end of the leash obediently out for Gabe, wondering if the omegas were going to start fighting. While the past couple days had been subdued, Dean could smell the tension between the two of them at meal times. He hated that any frustration the two had was usually taken out on him – doing all the chores and extra, sleeping outside twice on Cas’s demand, and being paddled more than once by Gabe.

“Fine,” Cas said. “We can go. I’m going to get changed.” He left the kitchen without another word, leaving Dean with Gabe.

“I knew that would get him going,” Gabe muttered to himself with a sly grin, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “The promise of civilization.”

Dean gritted his teeth but obediently held onto the leash, offering it so Gabe could take it at his leisure. He was close, so close. He just had to get out of this cabin, back to the city. If anything, it would mean Gabe couldn’t watch him at every given moment. At most, there was a chance he could run away. It was a fantasy he forbade himself from thinking about normally. Only at night, when the rest of the house was quiet and everyone else was asleep; Dean would think about escaping out of a window, surviving on the streets, maybe even finding Sam.

“Good boy,” Gabe said, breaking through Dean’s thoughts as he finally put his phone down and snatched up the leash. “Come on, we can meet Cas out in the car.”

Dean didn’t like being pulled around by his neck but couldn’t mess up, especially now. So he walked meekly behind Gabe, didn’t even protest when he walked outside with no shoes, and, at Gabe’s prompting, climbed into the back seat of the vehicle.

It was a heavy, jeep-like, and built to last. The two backseat benches faced each other, made of fine leather and softer than Dean figured necessary, but he wasn’t going to complain if Gabe was actually letting him sit with them. He slid all the way to the window and Gabe sat on the bench across from him on the other side.

They sat in silence while Gabe went back to scrolling on his phone. It took a couple minutes for Cas to show up. He climbed in and sat on Dean’s side but keeping as far away from him as possible.

“That’s all he’s gonna wear?” he asked, pulling the seatbelt down across his shoulder and clicking it in place. He glanced quickly to Dean and then to Gabe.

Gabe didn’t even look up. “We can find something at the store,” he said. “Besides, most places don’t require alphas to be completely dressed anyways.”

Dean ducked his head. It was kind of comforting that he could smell the regret and pity on Cas. He could pretend that it was something like he cared.

“Okay,” Cas said. “I just prefer he didn’t walk around half naked.”

“He’s an alpha,” Gabe said. The car began moving as he spoke, so there must’ve been a driver. “No one cares. Besides, we can appreciate the view too.”

Dean wanted to disappear.

“I just don’t want him getting cold,” Cas said. “Because . . . . then he gets all clingy.”

“Whatever,” Gabe said. “You can pick him something out at the store if you care that much.”

“Fine,” Cas said, his tone clipped.

The rest of the car ride was spent in stiff silence, the tension making Dean’s skin crawl. He didn’t like being trapped in such a small place with both Cas and Gabe but as soon as they crossed the city limits, he was too distracted to think about it.

He forgot how tall the buildings were. He forgot how many cars. So many colors and thankfully the windows of the car blocked out all the smells. He held himself back from pressing his face against the window and smudging it with fingerprints but seeing it all, he couldn’t help but wonder: was Sam out there somewhere?

He could only wonder, and a couple minutes later, the car pulled into a huge parking lot and slid into a slot. The store they were going into was absolutely huge, at least three stories up and advertised as the Lake View Mall by one large sign. The asphalt under his bare feet was gritty and cold, and he shifted from foot to foot while waiting for Cas and Gabe to climb out as well.

“Where should we go first?” Gabe asked as they started walking towards the entrance.

“Shoes,” Cas said, and Dean glanced to him in surprise.

“Okay,” Gabe said, not catching their exchange.

The mall was busier on the inside than it was on the outside, and Dean noticed that he wasn’t the only alpha being dragged around on a leash. He saw both men and women alike, in various states of undress, walking obediently behind omegas or betas. Some looked miserable, like he felt. Some, to his surprise, didn’t seem to be aware they were on a leash as they laughed and joked with little kids or their owners, holding bags of clothes or groceries. It was. . . . odd.

Cas pulled him into the nearest shoe store, one with shelves up to his chest and more than enough displays. Dean wondered, briefly, if he had to tell Cas who was who as he noticed a worker approaching them. He didn't want a punishment though, so kept his mouth shut.

“Hello,” the worker—and omega—said, ignoring Dean for the most part and looking at Cas instead. “What can I help you with today?”

“I’m looking for shoes,” Cas said, looking anywhere but the worker’s face. “For him.” He gestured to Dean, also not looking at him either.

“Oh, an alpha!” the worker said, still maintaining his retail smile. Dean could smell his disinterest at helping him instead of Cas. Dean held back a roll of his eyes. “Of course. We have a small selection to offer if you just want to follow me.” The worker led them further into the store before stopping at one shelf.

The shoes were black tennis shoes mostly, slip-ons from what Dean could see. There were a couple pairs of sandals as well, strappy one as well as flip flops. That was about it, and the sizes looked limited too.

“This is what we have right now,” the worker said, gesturing to the wall. “But we can always order something if you don’t see what you need.”

“I think these’ll be fine,” Cas said. He tugged gently on the leash to pull Dean forward. “Choose one.”

Dean didn’t really know which size was going to fit him but he took his best guess and pulled down a box. After putting on a flimsy pair of nylon socks offered by the worker, he tried the shoes on, standing when Cas tugged on the leash and taking a few steps to try them out.

“Too tight,” he said softly, sitting back down. He waited for Cas to nod at him before pulling the shoes off and exchanging them for another pair. These ones fit much better, and Cas gave the worker a credit card.

“You can wear them out of the store,” he said. “And we can throw the box away at the nearest garbage can.”

“Thank you,” Dean said. He actually meant it. Nobody had ever bought him anything since he presented and while the shoes weren’t the same quality you would find for an omega, they were still very nice.

“We can find some other clothes for you too,” Cas said. His tone was softer than before and Dean could smell his scent mellow out from the annoyance it had been during the ride over.  

The next store they entered smelled like omega happiness and new clothes, and the moment they stepped through the doorway, a worker pounced on them, all smiles and peppy slogans. He didn’t have a name tag but he was clearly wearing the store’s uniform.

“Hello, can I help you find anything today?” he said. “We’re having a sale on sweaters today that are just coming into season. You’re a spring?”

Dean had no idea what that meant, but Cas was already shaking his head.

“I’m shopping for an alpha,” he said, pointing to Dean. “Him.”

The worker didn’t look as enthused about the prospect of Dean but valiantly maintained his smile. “In that case,” he said. “We do have a section in the back that I can direct you to. Are you looking for something functional, or something more . . . . fun?” He said it with a wink that didn’t make Dean feel good.

“Functional,” Cas said, barely even blinking.

“Of course,” the worker said. “Follow me.” He led them back through the store to a section of hangers and shelves all stacked with different clothes.

It looked to be mostly sweaters in dull colors. On a couple display tables were stacks of sweatpants and jeans. On the shelves back in one corner were plastic packages of underwear and socks, both looking thankfully more functional than sexy. Although, hanging right next to them, were pairs of lingerie. Dean stiffened, but Cas stepped past that display, moving to the hangers of sweaters.

“I want you to try these on,” he said, pulling a couple off their hooks and looking them over before offering them to Dean.

“Um, changing room?” Dean asked, taking the sweaters. To his surprise, the fabric wasn’t rough. It was thick and heavy, not the softest thing, but still pretty good quality.

“We have one right this way,” the worker said, who had been hovering the entire time.

Dean was all but shoved into a small room a little bigger than a closet. Cas unclipped his leash before giving him some privacy and shutting the door on him.

“Make sure you come out each time,” he said. “I want to make sure they fit.”

Being careful not to wrinkle the garments too much, Dean hung them all on the hook on the door and slid the first one off its hook. It was grungy looking, dark brown, and definitely made to be more functional than stylish. All the same, Dean pulled it on over his head and struggled with the sleeves. When it finally got it on, Dean settled it on his shoulders, feeling a little awkward.

The collar was wide and loose, almost falling off his shoulders as if to make sure his leather collar was always on display. The sleeves were long enough to almost cover his hands, and the all over shape of it was almost formless. Feeling a bit self-conscious, Dean opened the door to the dressing room and stepped out.

Cas eyed him over, and Dean smelled his nervousness even as he wrung the leash in his hands.

“I like it,” he said, meeting Dean’s gaze only a moment before looking down to his feet. “Do you like it?”

Dean fingered the hem, not really sure if his opinion mattered. “Sure,” he said noncommittally.

“Alright,” Cas said. If awkwardness had a scent, they would both stink of it.

“Alright,” Dean repeated.

“Go try the other ones on too,” Cas said.

Dean disappeared back into the dressing room, quickly pulling off the sweater. The next one he tried on was grey rather than brown and was a different cut. It clung to his chest and stomach in an hourglass shape and the collar was the same as the other. The sleeves also ended at his elbows. Dean preferred the first sweater much more but obediently stepped out of the dressing room to show Cas.

“Oh,” was all Cas said. “It’s . . . . . nice.”

“Yeah,” Dean said, figuring that disagreeing wasn’t the best option.

“Oh! That’s one of our most popular items,” the worker said, coming back to offer any help. “The cut is absolutely divine and compliments the alpha so wonderfully, wouldn’t you agree?” He nudged Cas.

“Oh, yeah,” Cas said, quickly agreeing. “It does look very good. Um, Dean, the next one.”

As quickly as he could, Dean ducked back into the dressing room and pulled the sweater off. He tossed it on top of the first and started to pull the third one on. This one was much different. There was an awkward loop of cloth that went around his neck and settled under his collar, and then there was a gap before the shoulders began. Again, the cut was tighter than the first, made to show off his physique more than anything. The sleeves came down over the backs of his hands. Dean wrinkled his nose before neutralizing his expression and stepping out.

“Oh! Wonderful!” the worker said, clapping his hands a couple times. “Adorable! Honestly, that sweater looks like it was made just for him! _Please_ tell me you’re going to buy that one.”

Cas’s cheeks were pink as he quickly nodded. “Can you just . . . ring them up?” he asked, passing him the same card he had used at the shoe store. “So he can wear them out?”

“Of course,” the worker said, gratefully accepting the card and hurrying off.

“Put the first one on,” Cas said, gesturing for Dean to go back into the dressing room. “That one looked . . . . the best.”

Dean let out a sigh of relief and quickly ducked back into room. He pulled the first sweater back on, finding it much more comfortable than the other two. He was about to gather up the other sweaters and step out of the room again when a pair of pants were tossed over the top of the door.

“Put these on too,” he heard Cas say.

Dean gratefully swapped his sweatpants with the soft jeans and pulled on the sweater. With his new shoes, he looked almost normal. With that, he gathered up the other garments and stepped out to meet Cas. The worker was already back with a plastic bag to hold the other clothes Cas was buying. As Dean put them in, he noticed the plastic packaging of a pack of underwear and a pack of socks.

“Thank you for your help,” Cas said to the worker and clipped the leash back to Dean’s collar.

Dean ducked his head as well but stayed on the safe side and didn’t speak.

Gabe met them outside the store, carrying a large to-go cup of coffee that smelled strongly of hazelnut and creamer. He looked Dean up and down openly before nodding his satisfaction.

“Good choices, Cas,” he said. “At least you have an eye for style.”

“And Dean likes them too,” Cas said.

Gabe only shrugged. “Hey, my favorite store is having this _huge_ sale,” he said. “Come on, we can go there and then find a place to eat.”

Cas didn’t protest and he thankfully didn’t yanked on Dean’s leash to hard either. They both followed a couple steps behind Gabe as he hurried off presumably in the direction of his “favorite store.” Dean distracted himself with the sights and smells of the strangers they walked past. He almost didn’t mind being on a leash as long as he was allowed to be out and about fully dressed.

The store Gabe finally stopped at was fancier than any place Dean had ever seen. Instead of holding mannequins in the front windows like all the other stores did, the place—the sign stated in flat black, block letters Miu Miu—had blacked out windows and a beta guarding the door as if there was a guest list you had to be on to enter. Gabe walked right up, nonchalantly, as if he was sure he was going to be on that list. Cas and Dean were right behind him.

“No alphas allowed,” the beta said stiffly, giving their group one look over and wrinkling his nose.

“What do you mean?” Cas said, tightening his grip on Dean’s leash.

“Miu Miu strives to maintain an atmosphere that is both welcoming and calming for omegas and betas,” the beta said, like he was reciting from a script. “We keep this space alpha-free so that smells and merchandise aren’t ruined.”

“I thought businesses had to advertise if they were alpha-free zones,” Cas said with a frown.

“It doesn’t matter,” Gabe whined. “Come on, just tie him somewhere. I want to go inside.”

The beta reached underneath the small podium he stood behind before plopping a small paper cone down on top. A small red “A” was circled and slashed out in black, the sign that no alphas were allowed. Cas frowned again.

“Just leave him,” Gabe repeated. “Come on, they’ve got amazing shirts _and_ there’s a sale. I don’t want to miss this, Cas.”

Dean expected Cas to do what Gabe suggested, just tie him to a post somewhere and go into the store. Instead, Cas wrapped the leash around his hand and shook his head.

“I’ll stay out here,” he said. “You can go on in.”

The beta just looked bored.

Gabe shrugged. “Fine, whatever suits you,” he said. He brushed past the beta and through the heavy black curtains that were hung over the door.

“Come on,” Cas said, leading them to a small bench that was situated a little ways away. He sat and motioned for Dean to do the same.

They waited in silence, the bag of clothing rustling occasionally as Cas fidgeted. A couple other omegas walked into the store. A couple omegas walked out too, dressed in fine pressed shirts and fitted pants, looking rich and untouchable. Dean ignored them for the most part, satisfied to stare blankly at his hands until an unusual scent caught his attention, one that set his nerves on edge. He looked up to see an older woman approaching the door.

Well, she wasn’t exactly old. She did have silvery grey hair cut in a short bob and wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. She walked surely though, without the use of a cane or walker, and she was dressed nicely, just like the other omegas entering the store. She was, however, hooked up to an oxygen tank, which explained the sick-omega smell that had set Dean on edge.

An alpha trailed obediently behind her. She was a younger woman with longer black hair and clearly well-fed, not as muscled which meant she didn’t have to do any hard labor. Instead, she was holding the oxygen tank that the older woman was connected to and a purse hooked over her arm. She also wore a strange, navy blue vest, zipped up the front over a plain white t-shirt. On the sleeves of the vest, in blocky white letters, were the words “Med A.”

“No alphas,” the beta said as the old woman walked up to the door, ready to repeat the whole spiel again.

“Oh, Meg is my medical alpha,” the old woman explained. “She’s allowed in alpha-free zones.” She pulled out a small coin purse and unzipped it. “Here, I have her papers if you need them.”

“Oh, no, that’s my bad,” the beta said, his disposition immediately changing to all smiles instead of his usual glower. “I am so sorry. It’s against store policy to turn away medical alphas. Here, allow me.” He stepped out from behind the counter and pulled the curtains open to let the woman and alpha walk through.

Dean didn’t even realize Cas had noticed the two too until he spoke up.

“Medical alpha?” he repeated. “Like an alpha trained in medicine?”

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. “She’s allowed in the store though.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Cas said, stating the obvious.

Dean didn’t have a response to that, so the conversation fell flat after that, and they both returned to silence. A couple more betas and omegas walked out of the store, but still no Gabe. To Dean’s surprise, the older woman appeared again along with her “medical” alpha, although this time she was carrying both the oxygen tank and a bag of new clothes as well.

“I can’t believe I found those shirts, Meg,” the woman was saying conversationally. “And for such a good price. Those silly sale workers get all huffy when I ask for larger sizes, but I think these will fit you just fine.”

“Excuse me,” Cas said suddenly, jumping up from his seat, accidentally yanking on Dean’s leash and pulling him to his feet. “Miss?”

The older woman turned, a look of surprise crossing her face. When her gaze settled on Cas though, she broke into a wide smile. “Hello, dear,” she said. “And what can I help you with today?”

“I was just wondering about your . . . I mean, her,” Cas said awkwardly, gesturing to the other alpha. Dean noticed his neck blushing red.

“You mean Meg?” the woman said, turning her brilliant smile to the young alpha. “She’s a sweetheart, just helping me all the time like the nicest thing.”

“I’ve never heard of . . . . medical alphas,” Cas said, wringing the leash nervously in his hands.

“Oh, dear, Meg is from Europe,” the woman said, resting a hand on Meg’s shoulder. “The nice doctors over there are doing experimental medical trials with alphas, something that the doctors here in the US haven’t tried yet. Apparently alpha noses are much more sensitive than our own.” She laughed lightly. “I hardly understand it myself. Alphic genes and whatnot, heck if I know. Is he yours?” She finally addressed Dean with that same smile as before.

“Um, yes, he is,” Cas said.

“Aren’t you just the cutest thing,” the woman crooned. “Do you mind?” She actually asked Dean instead of Cas as she reached a hand tentatively toward his face.

Dean wasn’t sure how comfortable he felt but he shook his head, ducking down so that the woman could pat him on top of his head.

“So adorable,” the woman said. “Here. I have something for you.” She turned to Meg who offered the purse without prompting. The woman dug around for a moment before pulling out a small cookie with cream. “It’s alpha safe,” she told Cas. “I have Meg eat them all the time.”

“Oh, no, that’s fine, go ahead,” Cas said.

Dean accepted the cookie from her and ate it in one bite, relishing the sweet cream and crunchy cookie. He even licked his fingers, wondering what he had to do to get another one.

“I’ll tell you what,” the woman said, digging her phone out of her purse next. “I’ll give you my doctor’s name and some information. They are always happy to answer whatever questions you have.”

“Ah, thank you,” Cas said, fumbling to pull his own phone out of his pocket as well.

Dean scented Meg while their owners talking, looking her over. She scented him back, not as obsessively as he did but still. She didn’t fidget like he did, instead standing perfectly still, holding the oxygen tank steady and the shopping bags still. She smelled content but a little too much like sick-omega to make Dean comfortable. It made him want to scent her over to see where she was hurt. And that was something he was not allowed to do.

“Thank you so much,” Cas said, accidentally tugging on Dean’s leash as he took a step back. “This is . . . very helpful. I wish we could talk more.”

The woman only laughed. “You young people, always rushing places,” she said teasingly. “Well, Meg and I have other shopping to do. I’m so glad I could meet you, young man. And your wonderful alpha.”

“It was nice to meet you to,” Cas said.

Dean nodded even daring to give the woman a small smile.

She only laughed again and walked away, Meg following carefully behind her. She just disappeared around a corner when Gabe walked out of the front doors of the store, a half a dozen bags slung over his arms. He said a cheerful goodbye to the beta at the front desk and made his way over to Cas.

“Thanks for waiting,” he said. “Man did it feel good to swipe my credit card.”

Cas smiled along, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

“Come on,” Gabe said. “I already thought of a place to eat too.” He jerked his chin at Dean. “And he’ll be able to get in too, don’t worry.”

 


	17. Never Before

The restaurant they went to was some sort of Texas-wannabe grill out that smelled heavenly of meat and made Dean drool as they walked through the door. It was such a mix of smells that his eyes started watering and he coughed to clear his thoughts. He didn’t realize how hungry he was until now and he silently hoped that Cas would order him something big.  

Gabe flashed his credit card at the front desk, and they were seated immediately by a shy alpha with a collar that was stamped the restaurants logo. The uniform also looked a bit awkward: denim shorts cut off mid-thigh, white tennis shoes, and a flannel shirt that wasn’t buttoned but instead tied up to show off the alpha’s stomach, hips, and chest. A half apron was also tied around his waist. It also seemed that only alphas were required to wear that uniform. All the other workers wore regular jeans and regular flannel. The alpha they were following finally showed them to their table, and they sat down.

“Hello, sirs,” he said, passing Gabe and Cas menus and shooting Dean a sympathetic look. He pulled out a small notepad and an even smaller pen. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Beer,” Gabe said. “Something nice.”

“Water,” Cas said, already flipping through his menu, not looking at the alpha.

The alpha scribbled down their orders on his notepad, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth, as if it was a difficult task. Once he had that down, he looked up again. “Anything else?” he said, glancing briefly to Dean before focusing back on Cas and Gabe.

“No,” Gabe said, and at the same time Cas said, “Water.”

The alpha looked confused for a moment, the sour smell of panic suddenly pouring off him. Before he could do anything stupid, Cas spoke up again.

“Water,” he said firmly. “I want two glasses of water.”

Gabe gave him a strange look but didn’t challenge him, and the alpha relaxed, scribbling a little more on his pad.

“I’ll get that for you right away,” he said and hurried off.

Gabe raised his eyebrows after him but didn’t say anything. Instead, he picked up his own menu and began reading the options. Cas buried his nose in his own menu.

“Oh, look, there’s a menu for alphas,” Gabe said conversationally.

Cas didn't say anything to that so they fell silent again. Their waiter returned a moment later with a tray balanced carefully on both hands. He set Gabe's tall glass of beer in front of him and then both of the glasses of water in front of Cas.

“Are you ready to order?” he asked, letting the tray dangle at his side.

Gabe looked to Cas who nodded. He picked up his menu and pointed to the item he wanted. “The Barbeque Bacon Cheeseburger but with mozzarella cheese instead of American,” he said. “And a side of fries with honey mustard.”

The alpha scribbled furiously at his notepad for several long moments, struggling to juggle both the empty tray and his notepad. Cas waited awkwardly as he wrote down Gabe's order, taking much longer than expected. Finally, he looked up to Cas.

“And for you?” he asked, looking and smelling embarrassed.

“I'll have the grilled turkey sandwich,” Cas said. “Light mayo, and fries as well, please.”

The alpha nodded, already hunched over writing as fast as he could. It took another couple minutes before he looked up again. “Anything else?” he asked.

“Another burger,” Cas cut in. “Plain, please.”

“Of course,” the alpha said, hastily adding it to the list. “I'll get your order back to the kitchen.” He then hurried away, leaving them alone again.

“Isn’t this place great?” Gabe said, leaning his elbows on the table. He watched another alpha waiter walk past with a small grin. “The food, the service, I just love everything about it.”

“It seems nice,” Cas said. He was fidgeting nervously, constantly glancing around but never seeming to settle on any one place. He reached up and rubbed his nose before grabbing his glass of water and taking a huge gulp.

Dean was too buys scenting the place to care about Cas’s discomfort. There was just so many things to smell! From the food being served a couple tables over to the omegas and betas eating it. Not to mention the alpha workers. Dean would even go so far as to say he liked it.

It took several awkward minutes of silence before the alpha came back, this time carrying a tray with steaming plates of food. He walked slowly and deliberately, like he had a history of dropping things and definitely didn’t want to do that now. He arrived safely at the table and, with the tray balanced carefully in the crook of his arm, he began unloading their plates.

“The Barbeque Burger,” he said, handing a plate to Gabe. “The turkey sandwich.” That one went down in front of Cas. The alpha paused with the last plate. “And the plain burger?”

“That’s for him,” Cas said, looking to Dean.

The alpha looked relieved to be setting the food down in front of Dean. He then stepped back and brushed his hands off on his shorts. “Is there anything else I can get for you right away?”

“I’m good,” Gabe said, his mouth already full of food.

The alpha nodded, looking relieved. “I’ll check back in a little bit so see if you need anything else,” he said. “Have a good rest of your meal.” And then he was gone, off to help a different customer probably.

“You can eat too,” Cas said, picking up his own sandwich.

Dean didn't need to be told twice. He picked up his plain burger and took a huge bite, relishing the taste of meat and spices on his tongue. Even if it was just bread and meat, it was somehow the best thing he had ever tasted in the past couple days. It was even better when Cas offered him the bottle of ketchup, and that was added on top of the patty. All too soon though, it was gone and Dean was left to lick his fingers and take small sips of water.

Gabe didn't pay him any attention, only eating his own burger with much smaller bites and going back and forth from looking around the room and looking at his phone. At least Cas gave him half his fries and a small pool of ketchup to dip them in.

Dean held himself back from scarfing them all down at once. Instead, he munched them slowly, looking around the room again. Other alphas were wiping down tables, still in the ridiculous uniform. A couple other alphas sat with other families, either eating their own food or trying to corral the little kids into eating too while the omegas and betas chatted idly. Dean grabbed another fry and took a bite, when a familiar scent made him freeze.

He sat straight up, whipping his head around, scenting the place over. His heart thudded in his chest, and he desperately hoped that his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him.

There. Across the room, wiping down a table and wearing that god awful uniform.

It was Sam.

Dean whined before he realized what he was doing, and Cas looked at him in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Sam,” Dean blurted. “Sam. Sam. Sam. He’s here! I gotta – I gotta – Sam!”

He jumped up from his chair, knocking it over in his rush. He shoved past another alpha waiter who gave him a fearful look, nearly dropping the tray of water glasses he was holding. Dean barely glanced at him. All he could see was Sam who had looked up when he had yelled his name and was now shoving his way to Dean too.

They met each other in the middle, grabbing each other in a tight hug and scenting each other over.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Sam mumbled, scenting Dean from his chin to his neck to his face like a kit that was just learning how to smell. “I thought I’d never—”

“I can’t believe I found you,” Dean said in between small licks and kisses over Sam’s scent glands, thankfully unmarked. “Are you okay?” Sam didn’t smell sick but you never knew. Dean wanted to hold him forever. “Are you hurt?”

Before Sam could answer, Dean felt his collar snap tight, cutting off his windpipe and jerking him back. Not enough to pull him away from Sam but enough to yank his head back and make him gag.

“Get away from him,” Dean heard Gabe order. “Bad alpha!”

Dean pulled back, fighting against his collar and leash, clenching fistfuls of Sam’s shirt in a white knuckled grip. Sam was holding him just as tight, pressing himself close, continuing to scent Dean even as the air began to stink of fear and panic.

“No, no, no, no,” he was whimpering, even as an omega dressed in the store’s uniform grabbed his own collar and yanked him back.  

They clung to each other as customers began to panic and other workers rushed to help. A little kid was crying somewhere, but Dean couldn’t focus. He was starting to go heady from lack of oxygen but he didn’t fall back. He wouldn’t let Gabe win this one.

“Sam, back down!” the manager barked. “Sam! Bad boy!”

Other workers were yelling. Cas was yelling. Gabe was shouting about how much trouble Dean was in.

Dean didn’t want to let Sam go.

“Everyone, _stop_!!”

The shout seemed to shut everyone up, and Dean sucked in a much needed breath as the collar finally went loose. He looked over at the source of the shout, narrowing his eyes at the man standing on top of a table. Dean couldn’t smell him from this far away and wasn’t sure if he was an omega or beta or what. Whatever he was, he seemed to have captured everyone’s attention with his hands in the air. How he got on the table was beyond Dean. The man was heavier set, older but not ancient, and very gruff. He had a dirty baseball cap tugged low on his forehead.

“Everyone, stop!” he repeated. He locked eyes with Dean, his gaze challenging but steady. He stepped down off the table, still looking straight at Dean.

Dean pulled Sam tightly to his chest and let out a low growl, not liking the way this new, unknown intruder was acting.

“Easy, boy,” the man said. “Easy, I don’t want to hurt you.” He jerked his chin at the manager but didn’t break eye contact with Dean. “Let go of the worker,” he said.

The manager scowled but let go of Sam's collar, stepping back.

“Hey, buddy,” the man said, taking another step forward. “Hey, no one wants to hurt you. You and your . . . . brother?”

Dean wrinkled his nose, baring his teeth at the man. Sam still smelled scared, and that only made Dean uneasy.

“Your brother,” the man repeated. “He can stay with you. You just have to calm. Down. Alright? Does that sound good?”

The leash twitched, tugging subtly on his collar. Dean jerked his shoulders, growling again.

“Can you let go of the leash?” the man said. “He can’t get out of the building, right? And the leash is making him nervous.”

“Nervous?” Gabe spat. “Who the fuck are you to tell me how to deal with _my_ alpha?”

“Bobby Singer,” the man said, reaching slowly into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. He flipped it open, showing some sort of badge to Gabe. “I’m a police officer, son. And I handle alphas much bigger than the one you got every day.”

Gabe grunted, smelling like he wanted to argue, but then Dean felt the leash drop and the collar go loose.

“There we go,” Bobby said. “Doesn’t that feel better?”

“They’re gonna take me away,” Sam whined under his breath. “Dean, they’re gonna hurt me. I don’t want to leave you.”

“I won’t let them,” Dean reassured. “I promise.” He growled softly in his throat, letting it rumble in his chest in an effort to calm Sam down.

“Hey, hey,” Bobby said, snapping his fingers. “Eyes on me. You’re gonna let me get a little bit closer, huh.”

Dean didn’t want him to get closer, but Bobby was already taking a couple more steps before he could protest.

“Easy, easy,” Bobby coaxed. “Come here. We're gonna get you into a room, not this one. One that you and your brother can be together in and don't have to deal with all this.” He waved his hand vaguely at the rest of the restaurant.

“Dean, I'm scared,” Sam said, jutting his nose up under Dean's chin.

“Okay,” Dean relented. As long as he could get away from all these other betas and omegas.

“I need an office,” Bobby said. “Now.”

“Of course,” the manager said, jumping forward. “Come on, I can show you to it.”

“Come on then,” Bobby said, waving a hand at Dean. “Let's go.”

Dean warily followed him through a pair of swinging doors labeled “Omegas/Betas only,” down a short hall, and into an office that was already cramped with a desk and a filing cabinet. Dean immediately shoved his way into the back, into the corner, huddling down with Sam. It felt awkward, and Dean didn't feel exactly safe in this enclosed room but it was all he had. The manager hurried out after getting a dirty look from Bobby.

Bobby, thankfully, stayed in the doorway, arms crossed over his bulky chest.

Dean scented him now, wondering what he was going to do now that they were in a room alone. But his smell was all jumbled, not completely beta but not completely omega either. Plus the air also stank of Sam’s fear, making everything fuzzy.

“What do you want?” Dean snapped, putting himself between Sam and Bobby.

“We’re just trying to figure things out,” Bobby said. “That your brother?” He gestured to Sam.

Dean nodded hesitantly.

“Alright then,” Bobby said. “At least that’s a step forward. I want you to know that we don’t want to separate you two. You just scared everyone in the restaurant, and we don’t want that.”

“You can’t take Sam away,” Dean said. He paused to give his brother a quick sniff, jostling him a little get his nose under his jaw. “You can’t.”

“And I don’t want to,” Bobby said. “I just want to settle everyone down so that no one gets hurt.”

Dean snorted a laugh. If anything, he and Sam were in more trouble than ever. If they let go of each other, who knew what would happen to them. So he hugged Sam tighter.

“How ‘bout a compromise?” Bobby said. “I take you boys down to the station. You can stay in a holding cell together while we work out all these details, and when all the paperwork is done, you can have a nice goodbye.”

Dean growled at that, baring his teeth. He wasn’t about to let Sam go that easily.

Bobby immediately put his hands up. “Okay, we won’t do that then,” he said. His smell didn’t change and neither did his bored expression.

Dean curled his lips back. “What are you?” he demanded. “I can’t smell you. What – what are you?”

“Easy,” Bobby coaxed.

Before he could continue talking, doors slammed open somewhere in the building and then the pounding of running feet that made Dean stiffen and snap his attention from Bobby to the door to Sam, wondering what would happen if he attacked. All the noise, and the scent of Sam’s fear, the no scent coming from Bobby – it all set him on edge.

And then Cas burst into the office, eyes and hair wild, smelling like panic with his phone outstretched. He was panting as he looked awkwardly from Dean to Bobby.

“Damnit!” Bobby snapped. “What do you want, son? Don’t just run in here!”

The shouting made Dean flinch.

“He’s mine!” Cas blurted, offering his phone to Bobby, basically shoving it in his face. “He’s mine! He’s a – he’s my medical alpha. I can’t be separated from him. It’s the law.” He paused for breath and then gushed on. “You can’t keep him from me and you’re not allowed to detain him or – or anything. See here? It’s the law. And I have documents for him and –”

“Calm down,” Bobby said. “I’ve heard of medical alphas before, just didn’t think they were something in America yet."

“It’s here,” Cas said, tapping the screen of his phone. “It’s here. I’ve got proof.”

Bobby scratched the stubble on his chin, looking between Cas and Dean. “Why isn’t he wearing a working vest?”

Cas’s cheeks were red and he was still breathing heavily. “I left it – I left it at home,” he said. “I didn’t think we would need it today, and I wasn’t – I wasn’t thinking I guess.”

“Damn right, you weren’t thinking,” Bobby said. “Look, it’s also the law that medical alphas wear their vests in public so that they can be identified.”

“I know,” Cas said. “And I’m sorry, that’s my mistake, but you can’t take him away from me.”

“Well, damn, now I can’t,” Bobby said, taking off his baseball cap to run his fingers through his hair. He levelled his stony gaze of Cas. “What do you expect to do about his brother then?”

Cas looked at Dean now, his mouth falling open in surprise. “Brother?” he repeated stupidly.

“So you don’t know either,” Bobby said. “You didn’t know his brother was here?”

“No,” Cas said. “No, no, I didn’t.”

“Look, son,” Bobby said. “Alphas bond strongly with family members, okay? Do they teach this in school? Alphas aren’t as stupid as you’d like to think. They pack bond like nobody’s business and once they latch on, they don’t let go. Separatin’ them now is downright cruel.”

“I didn’t know,” Cas said, still staring vacantly at Dean and Sam.

“Not many omegas do,” Bobby said. “I swear, alphic education is completely useless in schools. The government needs to fund that or something.”

Dean had no idea what either of them was talking about and it wasn’t like he could ask Sam. He pulled them farther back, pushing them deeper into the corner. The edge of the filing cabinet dug into his ribs, but he didn’t dare move and draw more attention to himself.

Cas was looking a little unsteady himself, leaning on the doorframe with his phone dangling at his side. He chewed his lip, staring at the floor, lost in thought. “What do we do?” he finally asked.

Bobby shrugged. “Well, if we got the manpower, we _can_ separate them, but it’ll be messy,” he said. “We can sedate them and move them. I can take them into custody until we work things out, but they’ll temporarily be owned by the state then.”

“What if—” Cas interrupted. “What if I buy his brother?”  

Dean snapped his gaze up, his heart skipping a beat.

“That's not my decision,” Bobby said. “But you could try.”

Cas set his mouth in a hard line and folded his arms over his chest. “Fine,” he said stiffly. He nodded at Dean, just a small jerk of his chin. “Stay here. I'll be back.” He then turned and hurried out of the door.

Bobby gave a dry laugh. “What an omega,” he said, more to himself than anything. He looked at Dean and smirked. “I know you aren't some medical alpha. Even if you were, if you’re not wearing your vest in public, you’re not working and then the laws don’t apply to you.” He chuckled. “But your omega has guts, I’ll give him that.”

Dean wrinkled his nose, not sure how serious Bobby was being. Sam had stopped whimpering and had gone back to scenting him, licking his scent glands tentatively, like a scared kit. It was comforting to know he was there and so close.

Dean heard Cas’s footsteps again before he smelled him, and he burst into the room same as before, out of breath and still slightly red in the face.

“I have money,” he blurted. “And – and the manager said he would sell and I – I – I want him. I’ll buy him. So they don’t have to be separated.”

Dean’s breath caught in his throat, and there was a sudden gush of sweetness from Sam that smelled like maple syrup. Dean panicked for a moment, wondering if something had happened to him. Sam had never smelled like that before. It was so sweet so suddenly that Dean felt compelled the scent him again. And again and again and again. Almost roughly, trying to make sure that he was okay and not hurt.

It took him a moment to realize that nothing was wrong. It was _great_ , actually. It was Dean who was confused, not Sam. The maple syrup-y smell wasn’t pain or panic or fear or another other emotion they had gotten used to at the camps. Dean had just never smelled Sam happy before.

 


	18. Official Sale

Gabe did not seem happy to be swiping his credit card at the store's register for a second time. Cas didn't know how much they were paying for Sam, that was something Gabe and the manager argued over. As soon as Cas was sure he had convinced Gabe, he hurried back to the office.

Cas hadn't known that alphas could have family. Well, he _did_ _know_ , but it never seemed real. It never actually seemed logical. But there Dean was, cuddling and scenting the other alpha. It was. . . . . adorable. Cas hovered in the doorway of the office, scared he was interfering on something he wasn't supposed to see.  

Bobby didn't seem to care. He had his arms crossed over his chest and was guarding Dean and the other alpha like they needed to be protected. Cas wasn't sure what Bobby was — omega or beta — but Dean seemed a little uneasy around him, always glancing up at him, sniffing discreetly.

Cas wondered if it was rude to ask.  

“So what you need a medical alpha for?” Bobby asked. “A young omega like you?”

Cas felt his cheeks go hot. “I — I can't smell,” he said. “It's, um, it's not obvious. And I don't tell many people. And I don't leave the house much.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” Bobby said with a small smile.

“What do you mean?” Cas said, feeling suddenly self-conscious. What had he done to give himself away?

“You aren't thrown off by me,” Bobby said. “At least, you're not thrown off by my smell.”

“What do you mean?” Cas said. Was Bobby an alpha? An alpha police officer? Did he have some disorder that made him smell weird?

“I'm a police officer,” Bobby said. “We take pills, and there's this lotion — it blocks our scent. Or at least, mixes it up. I don't smell like a beta. I don't smell like an omega. I don't smell like an alpha.”

Cas frowned. “But why?” he said.

“So I smell like a friend to everyone,” Bobby said. “And an enemy to no one. It's a police tactic, used to calm everyone down. It also masks my emotions, so that my smell doesn't give me away.”

That made sense to Cas, not that it really mattered in his case. “But what are you?” he asked. “I mean, what were you born as?”

Bobby grunted and shrugged. “Why does it matter?” he asked.

Cas cringed inwardly, wondering how many unspoken social rules he had just broken. He wondered how stupid and awkward he looked like.

“I’m joking,” Bobby said with a half-smile. “Partially. I don’t mind that people don’t know what I am, so I don’t feel compelled to tell you, either.”

“I’m sorry,” Cas said.

“Don’t be sorry,” Bobby said. “That’s just how I am.”

Cas chewed his lip and didn’t say anything.  

“You know how long this is going to take?” Bobby asked. “The money and whatnot?”

“I don't know,” Cas admitted honestly. He glanced back over his shoulder at the empty hallway. “I could go check.”

“Do that,” Bobby said. “And grab some water.” He looked Sam over and gave a dry laugh. “And some food if you can grab it. Get these boys fed. There's nothing happier than an alpha with food.”

Cas nodded, thankful for a job to do. He hurried back out of the office, back into the dining area.

Gabe and the manager were leaning over a file of papers spread over a table, deep in a heated discussion, probably over buying the alpha. A couple other workers, dressed in both versions of the uniform, loitered around the room as well, chatting on low voices or just wringing their hands. Cas stopped at their table, grabbing his glass of water. Both he and Gabe had only eaten half of their own sandwiches, so Cas put them both on one plate and carried it all back to the office. Nobody stopped him.

Dean's brother perked up as soon as he walked in, pawing at Dean's chest and scenting him with tiny mewls. Cas cocked his head, curious as to what made this alpha act like a kit. Dean studied Cas uneasily, as if he didn't trust him, not completely.

“Here,” Cas said, offering the plate and cup to Bobby.

“Don't give it to me,” Bobby said, gesturing to Dean. “Give it to him.”

Cas felt his cheeks go hot as he stepped past Bobby. He was a little scared Dean wouldn't let him approach. He had been growling before and Cas still wasn't sure if he had calmed down.

It was Dean’s brother who grabbed the food, his hand darting out so fast Cas almost dropped the plate. Even if he had, it wouldn’t have mattered. Dean’s brother snatched the plate and sandwiches away, shoving one – the turkey – into Dean’s hands before scarfing down the other. Dean took two small bites before giving his brother a soft kiss on his forehead and tucking the rest of the sandwich into his hands. It was scarfed down just as fast.

Cas scared at them, fascinated. Why wasn’t he and Gabe like that? How did alphas get so attached? He picked at his nails and swallowed around the lump in his throat.

“What’s his name?” he asked softly. “Can I – is it alright if I know his name, Dean?”

Dean looked up at him, green eyes hard and untrusting. He buried his nose in his brother’s hair, huffing deeply. He turned so that he was between Cas and his brother. “Sam,” he mumbled. “He’s Sam.”

“Sam,” Cas repeated. “That’s – that’s a nice name.”

Dean gave him an odd look but didn’t say anything.

Cas felt awkward standing so he cautiously sat down in the office chair, aware that Bobby was still watching them from the doorway. He folded his hands in his lap and shifted. Dean was watching him too, and Sam’s face was hid in Dean’s chest.

“We’re trying to fix this,” Cas said. “Alright? Gabe is figuring out the money part, but we’re buying Sam.” He cringed at that wording, hating how arrogant it made him sound. “I want him to come home with us.” That sounded slightly better.

Dean studied him for a long, long time. He didn’t move. He didn’t blink. Sam shifted and finally looked out, studying Cas too. They were both staring at him, unblinking and unmoving. It almost made Cas uncomfortable.

“What do you want?” Dean finally said, his voice rough, almost a growl.

 "What do you mean?” Cas said.

Dean wrinkled his nose. “I mean, what do you _want_? You’re not doing this just because. You want something from me, don’t you. So what is it? What do you want?”

“Oh no!” Cas said, waving his hands quickly. “No! I don’t want anything! I want – Sam is family, right? And – and Bobby said that alphas –” Shoot, that sounded bad. “No, he’s family and you are obviously very close. I mean, you want him to come home, right?”

“Yes,” Dean said, still sounding hesitant.  

Cas shrugged. “Then he can come home,” he said. “And, I’ll make sure Gabe doesn’t do anything, and I won’t do anything.”

“You promise?” Dean said.

Before Cas could say anything, Bobby cleared his throat roughly, drawing everyone’s attention.

“They need you out there,” he said, jerking his chin at Cas.

Cas looked at Dean, who was still waiting for an answer. Cas was torn for a moment, looking between Bobby and Dean. “I’ll do my best,” he finally said and then hurried out to see what Gabe needed.

Gabe was talking with the manager still, but the folder had been cleaned up and was now tucked up underneath Gabe’s arm. The manager didn’t look too angry anymore. As soon as Gabe spotted Cas, he waved him over.

“Here,” he said, shoving the folder and two leashes into Cas’s arms. “He’s your responsibility.”

“Thank you so much for your patronage and interest,” the manager said with a forced smile. Cas wondered just how much they had paid for Sam. “I hope you enjoy your new purchase.”

Gabe was rubbing his temple with a wince, like he had a pulsing migraine. “We’re going home right now,” he said. “And I’m going to call the office and pick up hours as soon as I can.”

Cas had to hold back his grin of happiness and he clutched the folder tight to his chest. “I’m going to go tell Dean,” he said.

“I’m pulling the car around,” Gabe said, pulling out his phone and sending out a text.

Cas hurried back to the office and slipped past Bobby, eagerly showing the manila folder to both Dean and Sam. “We did it,” he said. “Well, Gabe did. We can bring him home, okay? Gabe’s getting the car right now.”

Dean slumped in relief. “Oh, God, thank you,” he said, hugging Sam again, tighter than before. Sam was beaming from ear to ear, sobbing openly. “It’s gonna be okay, Sam,” Dean said. “It’s gonna be okay now. I’m here. I’m never leaving.”

Cas grinned, somehow able to feel their excitement and happiness even though he wasn’t part of their celebration. He almost felt bad when Bobby cleared his throat, breaking the moment.

“You're gonna have to wear leashes out,” he said. “Or else everyone is going to pitch a fit.”

Dean didn't even flinch. He stepped forward and tilted his chin up, so that Cas could reach his collar. Sam copied him. Cas stepped forward and as gently as he could, clipping the leashes on.

“It's okay,” he said, even though it was clear that Dean and Sam took more comfort in each other than him. “Let's get to the car.”

As they walked out of the restaurant, Cas was too aware of all the stares of the customers and workers as they walked past. A couple parents hugged their children protectively as they past. Dean and Sam didn't seem to care.

Gabe was already out in the car when they arrived. Cas let Dean and Sam slip in first before sliding in himself. The seats were much more cramped with four people instead of three. Sam had to fold up his long legs so that he didn't accidentally kick the other seat. Gabe was blabbing away on the phone, barely giving them a second glance.

“I don't care about over staffing,” he was saying. “I'm coming in early.” Pause. “Yes, I know I have off until tomorrow but I'm coming in tonight whether you like it or not.”

The car pulled out into the lane, navigating out of the parking lot as Gabe continued rambling.

“Then send Deacon home,” he said. “I know for a goddamn fact that I have documents in my file that need to be filled out before the weekend. I’ll come in and do that. Hell, I’ll do Deacon’s work. I just need hours, dammit.” Pause. “It was an unexpected purchase, okay. Don’t give me shit about it.”

Cas did his best to ignore him for the most part, making sure that Dean and Sam were okay. They sat close together, shoulders and knees touching, sharing small smiles with each other, and they stayed like that the whole ride home.

Gabe dropped them and their shopping bags off at the front doors before telling the driver to go to “the office” and the car sped off. Apparently, they would have the house to themselves tonight. He led the way inside, immediately unclicking their leashes and hanging them on the coat rack. Sam fidgeted nervously, eyes darting around the room as he tried to take everything in.

“Um, I can get you other clothes,” Cas said. “If you want to follow me.”

Sam looked to Dean, and Dean nodded. “Okay,” Sam said softly.  

Cas led the way deeper into the house, leading the way back to his room. Without prompting, Sam eagerly pulled the uniform off, balling it up and throwing it spitefully on the floor. Cas gave him some of the stuff he had bought for Dean, sighing in relief when it fit decently. He wasn't sure what he would have done if they hadn't.

Now, they all stood around awkwardly, probably waiting for Cas to tell them what to do.

“You can sit down,” Cas said, gesturing to the floor. “I can – I can get you blankets and stuff.” He hurried out of the room without waiting for an answer. He figured there were some old pillows and blankets in a closet somewhere that they could use and nothing would be ruined. He carried an armload back to his room to find Dean and Sam already on the floor. “Here,” he said, dumping the load on the floor.

“Thank you,” Sam said, immediately clawing the blankets around him and Dean, creating a messy nest of sorts. He gently took Dean’s arm and pulled him into the nest, pulling a blanket over both their shoulders and glancing nervously at Cas.

“Are you hungry?” Cas asked.

Sam shook his head, burrowing further into his nest and hiding behind Dean.

“I’m just going to be over here,” Cas said, pointing to his desk. He felt stupid, like he didn’t belong in the room, in this moment. He made his way over to his desk and sat down, listening as Dean and Sam whispered to each other and shuffled around to find the most comfortable position.

Cas pulled his laptop out of a side drawer and opened it up, waiting for it to boot up. It was slow since he hardly ever used it, but eventually it did turn on. Cas hesitated only briefly before opening a new search tab and typing “medical alpha training” into the bar and hitting enter.

To his surprise, there were several websites dedicated to the medical training and how alphas could be used to make life easier for elderly omegas and betas, how the nerves in their noses worked differently, and how their protective instincts could be utilized in different settings. Cas even found a chat room discussing a conspiracy that alphas were trying to take over the government and that giving them jobs in places like hospitals and police stations was only helping them advance. While that was an interesting read, Cas didn’t think it was likely.

What he did find though, on the fifth website he clicked, was a medical facility in Maine that was studying just-presented alphas in “a safe and controlled environment where any and all reactions to stimuli can be observed” and also “training alphas to react professionally to medical emergencies in order to benefit patients more.” The article was written by someone named Dr. Lafitte. Cas did a quick search of his name and found an older omega with a high level of schooling and so many titles it made Cas’s head spin.

“Benjamin Lafitte,” one article read. “Is most noted for his study into alphic behaviors. His most current research, conducted in a large facility in Maine, is hoping to uncover the secrets of the alpha’s nose. Dr. Lafitte’s dream is to utilize alphas in medical study and rehab in order to help all kinds of patients.”

There was a lot of medical jargon as well, with words longer than Cas could pronounce. But a small bar at the bottom of the page caught his eye. One button was labeled “To contact Dr. Lafitte: click here” and the other was labeled “To see qualifications for volunteer alphas: click here.”

Curious, Cas clicked. He was taken to a small questionnaire and survey about the alpha he was trying to volunteer.

Cas immediately froze, staring at the empty questions and unable to stop himself from glancing across the room. Dean and Sam were cuddled in a pile now, limbs all tangled together and faces pressed close to each other’s. Cas realized that he and Gabe had never been close like that, never that touchy-feely. He swallowed and turned back to the screen.

How much would it take to get Dean certified as an official medical alpha? And also, would he be able to get certified through this research program?

Cas wasn’t sure why he did it, but he typed out answers to each question, unable to tear his eyes away from the screen. He felt like he was floating out of his body when he clicked enter.

 


	19. We're All Learning

Buying plane tickets for two alphas was a pain in the ass and much more expensive than Cas realized. First of all, every ticket that was listed was for a seat in the baggage area. Second of all, Cas had to actually call the airline just to figure out that tickets in the normal sitting area were available for alphas but they were twice as expensive. Cas hated phone calls but he got the tickets.

The person on the other end of the line was very confused about why he wanted two alphas sitting next to him but eventually, Cas convinced her to let him buy.

Gabe was away from the house for long stretches of time: all day and late into the night. Occasionally Cas would see him in the kitchen, drinking loads of coffee and constantly glued to his phone, talking about the hours he needed to pick up and the overtime he had to do. When Cas gave the airline the credit card number, he felt a little guilty, gluing Gabe to the desk a while longer.

But maybe that was a good thing.

When Gabe wasn’t home, Dean and Sam acted like kits with each other. Cas had never seen alphas so playful with each other. Dean, of course, had whatever chores Cas could think of but Sam was free to roam the halls, as long as he didn’t disturb the cleaners. Even then, every couple minutes, Sam would wander into whatever room Dean was in and prop his chin on his brother’s shoulder, scenting him briefly. They would usually whisper to each other, share a quick smile, and then Sam would duck out of the room, avoiding eye contact with Cas.

It was odd and yet endearing. Cas had never seen omegas act as loving as the two brothers did with each other. And even though he was outside their small exchanges, he smiled at each small touch they shared.

And with Gabe gone, Dean seemed to open up more. He didn’t seem to flinch at every movement Cas made, and occasionally he would actually speak up about personal things, and he didn’t seem to mind when Cas asked. It probably also helped that, with Gabe gone, Cas let them both wear the clothes he had gotten from the mall.

“You and Sam are close,” he said one time. He was sitting on a chair, watching Dean finish up the dishes from breakfast.

“We are,” Dean said, shaking off a plate before setting it in the rack to dry.

“Is it an alpha thing?” Cas said. He had yet to tell Dean and Sam about the plane tickets and was waiting for the right moment to bring it up.

Dean smiled down at his scrubbing. “I think it’s a family thing,” he said.

Cas fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “Gabe and I aren’t like that,” he said.

Dean snorted, rinsing out a mug. “I think it might just be Sam and me,” he said.

Cas thought about it for a moment, trying to think of other people who acted as close as Dean and Sam did. He couldn’t. Instead, he coughed awkwardly. “Have you ever been on a plane?” he asked.

“A plane?” Dean repeated.

Cas felt stupid. “Like, it flies through the sky and it gets you places really fast—”

“I know what a plane is,” Dean said with that same soft smile.

“Oh,” Cas said, his cheeks going hot. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Dean said. “But, no, I’ve never been on a plane.”

“What about Sam?” Cas said.

As if summoned by his name, Sam crept into the room. He hooked his arm around Dean’s and leaned against his shoulder, closing his eyes for a moment. Dean paused to whisper into his ear for a moment, and Sam perked up.

“Airplane?” he said. “We’re flying?”

“Oh,” Cas said. “Um, yeah, I bought tickets.”

“Where are we going?” Sam said.

“Maine,” Cas said. “Uh, there’s this hospital out there that I read about. I thought we could go. I mean, as long as Gabe is hardly around to say no.”

“Is this about your nose?” Sam said, letting go of Dean to step closer to the fridge.

Cas froze, looking to Dean who stared intently down at the dish he was washing. Dean must’ve told him. That’s what happened, yeah. Cas felt a little uncomfortable knowing that they talked about him but really, he would have had to tell Sam at some point.

“No,” he said. “It’s for – erm, there’s this medical study for alphas. Um, medical alphas. They help people in hospitals and in public.”

“Oh,” Sam said. His hand was now resting on the fridge door handle. “Medical alphas. Yeah, Dean told me about those. I’ve seen them too. Sometimes, they come in the restaurant and their owners are always super nice.” As he rambled, he cracked open the fridge and before Cas could say anything, Sam grabbed an apple and a quarter bag of baby carrots. “But yeah,” he went on, acting as if he had done nothing. “Medical alphas. I know about them. They're pretty cool. I gotta go.” And then he _was_ gone, and Cas couldn’t say anything about the food he had taken.

“Um,” he said, looking to Dean.

Dean had stopped cleaning, staring at him, as if scared of how he would react. “Don’t,” he said softly. “I swear, you touch him and I’ll—”

“I wasn’t gonna!” Cas said quickly, putting up his hands. “I wasn’t, I swear! I just, are you hungry? Just ask, I can – I can get you something.”

Dean relaxed, going back to his cleaning. “Sam doesn’t know how to ask for things,” he said. “He doesn’t quite understand everything, especially here.” He paused a moment to scrub at a particular tough stain. “So that's with the medical facility?”

Now Cas blushed even harder, feeling even his neck go hot. Dammit, he should've asked if Dean even wanted to do it. “I thought,” he mumbled. “Since, you know, I told Bobby that you were my medical alpha and since, you know, you aren’t – I thought, well, how much trouble would it be to get you certified?”

Dean didn’t say anything for a long time, and Cas finally had to look up, just to see what he felt. Dean was back to scrubbing the dishes harder than necessary.

“Is that okay with you?” Cas finally asked, softly, quietly, a little scared that Dean would actually lash out or something.

“What does that mean for me?” Dean asked, still not looking up.

Cas eagerly straightened. “It means you get to come with me everywhere,” he said. “And – and no one can touch you without my permission. Not even Gabe. You’ll be protected by the state and if I – if I happen to – you know, pass away, then you'll be sent to another person who needs your help.”

“Instead of a camp or brothel,” Dean added.

“Um, yeah,” Cas said.

“What about Sam?” Dean asked. “What would happen to him?"

“I – I didn't enroll him,” Cas said and quickly amended, “I didn’t but I can, I mean! I think I can. The website didn’t say anything about the limit on how many I could apply.”

Dean only grunted, not giving anything indication of whether approved of that plan or not. Cas wasn’t sure if he was supposed to say anything else or not. Dean just kept scrubbing.

“When you’re done, could you come to my room?” Cas asked.

Dean nodded. “Okay.”

Cas slid off the counter and walked out of the room, chewing his lip as he thought. He found an apple core and the empty carrot bag on the floor outside his room. He sighed but picked them up, carrying them into his room and tossing them in the trash. The blanket nest was still in the corner of the room, and Cas didn’t have the heart to clean it up. It wasn’t uncommon for Sam to burrow into the mess several times a day and nap. Cas double checked now, wondering if that’s where he was, but no, Sam wasn’t sleeping at the moment.

He climbed onto his bed and pulled his laptop onto his lap. He had the page of the facility saved and already opened so it didn’t take long. He looked over the alpha qualifications, pulling Sam’s folder out, looking over the details and health reports that were filed inside.

Sam seemed healthy enough. He stayed at the facility much longer than Dean and had several weeks of service training. He was purchased cheaply by the restaurant chain in bulk with several other alphas and apparently was extremely good during his training, learning quickly. After that, his file was a mix of small infractions Sam had accumulated while working at the restaurant. It was mostly simple things: giving the wrong plate to the wrong person, spilling a glass of soda, dropping soup bowls on the floor. Each infraction was labelled with the punishment it warranted. Again, mostly small things: less food for dinner, a shock of his collar.

Cas was startled a bit with Dean stepped into the room without saying a word. Quickly, Cas snapped Sam’s folder shut and stuffed it back into a drawer of his desk.

“The trip is scheduled for next week,” he said. “I figured I could order some more clothes online instead of shopping. And Gabe will be busy at work.”

“Are we all going?” Dean said.

“You, me, and Sam?” Cas said. “Yeah. I have hotel rooms booked too.” He tried to catch Dean’s eyes and smiled. “It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah, it will,” Dean said.

Cas quickly clicked to a new search tab and opened an online store. “I should get you and Sam swimming clothes,” he said. “In case there is a pool. Come here.”

Dean hesitantly circled the bed and sat down on the edge, keeping his arms and legs tucked tight, like he didn’t want to get too close to Cas.

Cas stared at his screen and quickly typed in “alpha swimsuits.” He blushed at the results and quickly hid the screen from Dean. He deleted his search and tried again, this time typing in “omega swimsuits.” Those were much better. He would just have to buy them a couple sizes big.

“What color do you want?” Cas asked, clicking on a basic pair of board shorts.

Dean leaned over, carefully looking at the screen. He was quiet for a moment, just studying the shorts. “Which do you think?” he said. “I guess I don’t really care.”

“I mean, you can look at them,” Cas said, pushing the laptop over to Dean. He pointed to the palette of colors next to the shorts.

Dean stared for a moment and then pointed toward the darker shade of green. “That one?” he said.

Cas immediately clicked it, adding it to the cart. “What would Sam like?” he asked.

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said.

Cas sighed. “How about black?” he said. “I mean, it’s pretty neutral.” He added a second pair, this time black, to his cart. Quickly, he checked out, the website already saved his credit card information and address. He selected quick shipping and placed his order.

“Do you need anything else done?” Dean said, looking around the room, anywhere but the screen.

Cas frowned. “Don’t you want to rest?” he said, clicking to a different website and finding sweaters similar to the ones he had bought at the mall. He idly added several to his cart as well as several pairs of pants.

Dean didn’t answer right away, fidgeting his hands. “Where’s Sam?” he said. “I can rest with him.”

“I don’t know where he went,” Cas said. “But, um, you can go find him if you want.”

“Thank you,” Dean said, immediately standing and walking out of the room.

Cas was a little hurt that Dean left him so quickly and eagerly but figured it made sense. Sam was his brother, Cas was just a random stranger. A random stranger who had bought him and taken him away from his brother.

He researched the facility and then googled Dr. Lafitte’s name again. He found a different biography article this time, one that talked about a book he had put out a couple years ago. Curious, Cas clicked the link provided and read the summary of the book. It was titled “What We Don't Understand: a Study inside Alphas, their Social Circles, and Why They Always Sniff First.”

“It's no mystery that alphas are a mystery,” the summary read. “When observing their social relations and their interactions with their surroundings, obvious signs and instincts set them separate from you or me. In this text, Doctor Benjamin Lafitte studies and observes how alphas develop their social skills and their personality traits. Dr. Lafitte studies a dozen, newly presented alphas and these are his discoveries.”

It sounded like a movie trailer, but Cas was intrigued anyway. And because he had spent so much money already, he didn't feel bad about quickly purchasing it as well. It would be an interesting read for the plane ride. And then he was bored and he decided that he would go find Dean and Sam and see what they were doing. He shut his laptop, returned it carefully to its drawer.

Cas found Sam and Dean in one of the sitting rooms, curled up on the couches, foreheads nearly touching as they talked.

“And one time,” Sam was saying. “These three beta teenagers came in and all ordered milkshakes, but they refused to be served by alphas.” He laughed softly. “And then the manager came out and gave them this huge lecture on classism and how they were assholes before kicking them out.”

Dean laughed along with him. “That must’ve been amazing to see,” he said. “One time, I had an alpha hit on me in public. His omega said he only liked alphas and not omegas.”

Sam wrinkled his nose. “Eww,” he said. “And what did he do?”

“Grabbed my ass,” Dean said. “Tried to grab my dick.”

Sam was laughing again. “That’s so weird,” he said. “At the restaurant, I always got looks. You saw the uniform. But nobody was ever allowed to touch.”

Dean said, leaning against Sam’s shoulder. “That sounds like a dream,” he said. He closed his eyes and relaxed for a moment. And then he suddenly stiffened, bolting straight up, eyes jumping to where Cas stood in the doorway. Immediately, he leapt to his feet, yanking Sam off the couch with him.

“What the—” Sam said and then he noticed Cas too.

“It was my idea,” Dean blurted. “The couch. I said we could sit down. Sam doesn’t know the rules, okay? It was all my idea.”

“I’m not angry,” Cas quickly said. “I don’t – that was Gabe’s rule. I don’t mind if you’re on the furniture.”

Sam still looked a little nervous but at least Dean relaxed a bit.

“I just wanted to know where you guys were,” Cas said, feeling like he had to explain why he was watching them. “I don't mean to sneak up on you.” Him, sneaking up on someone else – that was a first.

“Alright,” Dean said.

“I gotta go,” Sam said and hurried out of the room, ducking past Cas.

“I _really_ don't want to hurt you guys,” Cas said, hating that the two continued to tip toe around him, despite his best efforts.

“You're an omega,” Dean said softly. “That's all omegas have ever done to us.”

Cas knew he had fucked up. He wanted to backpedal and take everything he had ever done back. “I’m sorry,” he said, knowing the words fell far too short. “I didn’t – Gabe said that alphas need a firm hand. I was stupid. I know better, I swear.”

Dean nodded, not looking at him. “Okay,” he said.

“I’m learning,” Cas said, feeling like someone was squeezing his chest.

“I know,” Dean said. He gave a dry laugh. “I think we all are.”

Cas wasn’t sure if he was being serious or not, couldn’t tell if he was joking. He fidgeted, not sure what he was supposed to say or do. “And I really am sorry,” he settled on.

“I know,” Dean said. “I think I have to clean something somewhere.”

It was an obvious lie, but Cas didn’t stop him from slipping out of the room.


	20. The Hotel

Dean would definitely admitted that having Sam was much, much better than having no Sam. He finally had someone in the house that wasn’t confusing. Alphas were easy to understand. They smelled like one emotion at one time and didn’t try to manipulate the conversations. Alphas were where Dean was most comfortable.

And Sam was endlessly awestruck by the house that Dean lived in now. They had long conversations late at night, talking about what had happened to them after they had gotten separated. Dean was surprised to find out that the restaurant Sam worked for was a huge advocate for alpha rights, going so far as to release public statements on their position and donate money to organizations that rescued alphas from abusive homes and off the streets. Sam’s manager, who he said was a peppy young omega, apparently brought donuts in every day for the alpha workers.  

It was reassuring to know that Sam had ended up somewhere at least halfway decent.

And now he was here, with Cas and Gabe. Dean was positive that he could protect Sam for the most part. Gabe was hardly ever around anymore and Cas nearly ran away any time Dean puffed out his chest. But Dean wasn’t so sure about this whole medical alpha thing.

Of course, it sounded great and all. No sexual service. He could go out into public on a pretty regular basis. No one would be able to beat him.

Dean still wasn’t sure. He wanted to stay with Sam. If they were both medical alphas, they probably wouldn’t stay together. They would be helping different patients. Maybe Dean could use himself as leverage. If he became a medical alpha, maybe he could convince Cas to keep his hands off of Sam.

“Hey, is there anyone in the kitchen?” Sam asked, poking his head through the door of the bedroom Dean had been cleaning in.

“Cas said you could just ask if you wanted something,” Dean said, looking up from his dusting. “You don’t have to sneak in there.”

Sam cocked his head. “I don’t like asking,” he said. “Do you know if anyone is there?”

Dean was pretty sure Cas was outside at this point, although he didn’t know where the betas were at. “I don’t think so,” he said.

“Do you want anything?” Sam asked.

Dean wrinkled his nose. “No, I’m good,” he said. He figured Sam was just going to grab fruit or something like that. If Dean waited, he could have something better than fruit later, when they ate dinner with Cas.

“Okay,” Sam said. He was about to walk out when he paused and then turned back to Dean. “What do you think about this whole trip thing? Do you think Cas is telling the truth?”

“About what?” Dean said. He finished dusting and had nothing else to distract himself with so he walked to Sam, letting him hook their arms together as they started walking.

“About the whole medical thing,” Sam said, leaning his head awkwardly on Dean’s shoulder.

“I think so,” Dean said. Cas never smelled like he was lying when he talking about the facility. “I think he actually wants to go.”

“Do _you_ want to go?” Sam said, letting go of Dean as they walked into the kitchen. He bypassed the refrigerator to head straight to the cupboards. “You want to be a medical alpha?” He dug through the cans and packages before pulling down a bag of chips.

“I think it’s the safest choice,” Dean said. “Cas said I would be treated better. And so would you.”

“And you believe him?” Sam said, grabbing his arm again and pulling him out of the kitchen.

“I guess,” Dean said. He could tell Sam was pulling him back toward the bedroom. He let himself be tugged along. “I mean, I don't have much of a choice.”

The blanket nest was still on the floor, and Dean noticed a couple of new couch pillows that had been added. Sam seemed to be collecting different things around the house to add to their makeshift bed. And it smelled good too. Sam pulled him down into the mess, pulling one of the thicker comforters over their heads. There were crumbs from the last snack Sam snuck in here and it smelled perfectly of a mix of them both, like happiness and sleepiness and just relaxing. Sam ripped open the bag of chips with his teeth, spilling a couple on the floor. He ignored them.

“Cas is weird,” he said, stuffing several chips into his mouth.

This is how all their conversations started: an obvious statement that neither of them quite understood but still wanted to talk about.

“I know,” Dean said, reaching over to grab chips of his own.

“He doesn't act like an omega,” Sam said. “He acts—”

“Nice,” Dean said when Sam trailed off.

Sam wrinkled his nose. “Kinda,” he said. “Also, like he doesn't think belongs anywhere.”

“That's his brother,” Dean said. “I think. Cas didn't go outside for a long time.”

“So he's like a hermit,” Sam said.

“Kinda,” Dean said.

“I'm glad I found you,” Sam said, shoving aside the half empty bag of chips and grabbing Dean in a hug. He scented him roughly, trying to goad on a play fight or at least wrestling.

Dean scented him back but didn't want to fight. He only pulled Sam down into the pillows, pinning him so that they laid side by side.

This was how their conversations always ended, snuggled together, scenting each other sleepily.

“I’m glad too,” Dean said.

“Do you think we’ll ever lose each other again?” Sam whispered. Their faces were close together, eyes both closed, both just breathing in each other’s scents.

“Not if I can help it,” Dean said. He tightened his grip on Sam, pulling him closer. “Never again.”

 

~*~

 

Gabe was gone for most of the day now, and by the time next week rolled around, he was still spending huge chunks of hours at the office. He hardly gave Dean a second glance and basically ignored Sam completely. He exchanged a few words with Cas but that was about it. He wasn’t even there when Cas lugged all the suitcases to the front doors and helped the taxi driver load them into the back of the vehicle.

Dean and Sam were both wearing matching sweaters, sturdy shoes, and jeans. Identical collars were clipped loosely around their necks and they both obediently held their leashes, waiting for when Cas had the chance to take them. Sam seemed reluctant to let Cas clip it around his neck at first, but Dean gave him a look, and he didn’t protest.

Finally, after several minutes, everything was packed into the trunk of the taxi and it was finally time to go. They all squeezed into the back seats, Cas gave the airport’s address to the driver, and they pulled out of the driveway. They drove in silence with only the radio playing faintly in the background.

The airport was chaotic. Hundreds of different people and hundreds of different smells. Cas had a bellhop to carry all their luggage though and she led them through the airport too, making sure they got to the correct gate on time.

Dean and Sam both had to walk through a metal detector and then get patted down by security guards. They saw another alpha, hands cuffed to a metal bar as he was stripped down and searched more thoroughly. Dean shuddered at that, grateful that he and Sam hadn’t been pulled aside.

After the security, Cas was led up a ramp, and they were finally allowed to enter the plane.

“It’s so good to have you, sir,” a young omega said. She was dressed as a flight attendant and met them at the doors of the plane. “I can direct you do your seats.” She walked them up the aisle, through a door Sam had to duck through, and to a small private compartment. “Here you are,” she said. “Your ticket does come with a complimentary meal so please keep that in mind while you fly. If you need any refreshments, let me know. Also, a quick reminder, your alphas _must_ remain buckled for the duration of the trip. Thank you for your consideration.” She gave them a beaming smile and then bounced off to help another customer.

“Who wants the window seat?” Cas said, gesturing to the booth.

Sam immediately jumped forward, eagerly taking the seat next to the window. He fumbled with the straps that were the buckles until Cas had to step forward and help him fasten it, tightening it until it was safety regulation.

Dean took the seat next to Sam then, waiting patiently for Dean to do the buckle for him. Cas sat across from them both, clicking his own buckle shut. He had a small bag of books and water bottles to occupy himself for the ride.  

“Are you excited?” Cas asked.

Dean wasn’t excited really. More nervous. He wasn’t about to tell Cas that though. “I’m fine,” he said.

“Yes,” Sam said, pressing his face against the glass. “I’m excited. Is it fun flying?”

“I don’t know,” Cas said. 

Dean didn’t like the sound of that. He gripped the armrests of his seat tight and tried to focus on the scent of Sam’s excitement instead of his own fear.

It took several minutes before the intercom buzzed, and a voice began to speak. “Please buckle up and make sure your luggage is secure in the overhead compartments,” it said in an almost robotic tone. “The plane will be departing shortly.”

“Oh shit,” Dean mumbled under his breath, feeling the plane shudder underneath him.

Cas frowned at him. “What’s wrong?” he said.

Before Dean could answer, the plane lurched into motion, pulling slowly away from the docking area. Out of the corner of his eye, Dean could see the outside begin to move, the vehicles and other planes rolling slowly by. He gritted his teeth.

“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” he said, clenching the armrests tighter. He pulled against the seatbelt, wanting to get _out_.

“Dean, what’s wrong?” Cas said, starting the smell panicked himself. “Sam, what’s wrong!”

“I don’t like this,” Dean said as the plane began to pick up speed. “Oh boy, I do not like this.” His stomach heaved and he curled as much the seatbelts would allow.

“Oh god,” Cas said. “Don’t puke. Please don’t puke. I can’t deal with puke.”

A paper bag was shoved into Dean’s hands, and he opened it without thinking, retching into it. The plane bumped and jostled and then jumped off the ground. The moment it took flight, Dean threw up in the bag.

“Oh my god,” Cas said. “Oh my god. You’re sick. You’re _sick_ , oh my god. Sam, what’s wrong with him? I don’t know what’s wrong.” He was punching the button for the flight attendant rapidly. “Oh no, he’s gonna die, isn’t he? Dean, you can’t die!”

Sam was grabbing Dean’s arm, shaking him, leaning over as much as he could to scent him and let Dean scent him back. It helped a little.

“What is the matter?” the flight attendant said, rushing up to their seats.

Dean felt his stomach roil at the flood of her scent. He dry heaved.

“I don’t know what’s happening!” Cas said, panic both in his voice and his smell. “He’s – he’s throwing up. Is he going to die?”

“Oh, dear,” the attendant said, her voice going soft. “It’s air sickness. He’ll probably empty his stomach and then be fine. Most alphas are like that. I could get you water, if that would help?”

“Yes please,” Cas said.

It only took a couple moments before the attendant came back with both a small bottle of water and a white pill. She smiled graciously at Cas. “It’s best if they’re out for most of the ride if they can’t hold their stomachs,” she said with a wink. She held the pill over the water, about to drop it in. “Do you mind?”

Dean wanted to snatch the pill from her himself, and he pleaded with Cas with his eyes, hoping that if the omega could pick up on anything, it would be his desire to pass out for this entire trip.

“Go ahead,” Cas said.

The attendant stirred the pill into the water and then handed it to Dean. He took it gratefully, chugging it down and nodding his thanks.

“That ought to help,” the attendant said, taking back the empty bottle. “Have a great rest of your trip.”

Dean clutched the throw-up bag tightly, scared he would need it again, but he was already feeling his eyelids droop and his muscles relax.

“Are you feeling better?” Cas asked. “Are you okay?”

Dean nodded but that was all he could really manage.  

“I think he’s good now,” Sam said, rubbing Dean’s shoulder. “He smells better.”

Dean didn’t hear the rest of their conversation because the moment after, he fell completely asleep. And it was glorious.

And the next thing he knew, was Sam shaking his shoulder, hissing in his ear. “You gotta get up, Dean,” he was saying. “The omega’s getting angry.”

Dean groaned, slowly waking up and realizing where he was. He was slumped in the plane seat, the seat belt biting into his shoulder. He jerked up, waking up all at once and realizing that attendant was tapping her foot in the aisle, certainly not waiting patiently.

“Good, you’re awake,” Cas said, immediately swooping in to undo the buckles on Dean’s seat belt. “We’re already here. We gotta leave the plane.”

Dean was still a little disoriented when he was pulled to his feet, but Sam grabbed his hand gently to help him along.

They made it out of the plane where a bellhop met them again with all their luggage already piled on a cart. He greeted them with a smile before asking where they needed to go. Cas told him the gate, and they started walking. This airport was much less busy, and even if they didn’t have the bellhop, they probably could’ve made it through by themselves. As it was, they made it to their exit gate in only a couple minutes and from there was greeted by another taxi driver who jumped to help them load their stuff.

Dean gratefully slid into the backseat, relieved to finally be able to sit down. Sam slid in next to him, and they waited as Cas talked with both the driver and bellhop. When he finally joined them in the backseat, his face was bright pink and he was smiling, slightly out of breath.

“I can't believe I'm doing this,” he said as the car pulled away from the curb. “Like, I just had a conversation with the bellhop. I don't even know what he is!”

Dean studied him, smelling his excitement and his awe.

“We’re going to the hotel next,” Cas said, just as excited as before. “And we’re going to the facility tomorrow. That’s when I scheduled the tour.”

“When are we going to eat?” Sam said.

“We can get something at the hotel,” Cas said. “And we can always order something to our room.”

Sam stared noncommittally out the window. “Okay,” he said. He was still holding Dean’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

Dean squeezed back. He yawned and stretched as much as he could in the small space. “Thank you so much,” he told Cas. “Uh, I guess I don’t like flying.”

“I was so scared,” Cas blurted. “I didn’t know what to do. It’s a good thing the flight attendant was there. Do you feel better?”

“Much better,” Dean said.

The ride to the hotel was uneventful, and Dean spent most of it staring out his window. Maine was forest-y, with towering trees broken up by towns of buildings. The hotel they arrived at what huge, five stories tall and made out of brick and marble. Another bellhop, a beta dressed in a crisp red and black uniform with silver buttons, met the at the door, giving Cas a bow before moving to unload the suitcases.

Dean was in awe as they walked inside, the lobby alone taking his breath away. High, vaulted ceilings with support columns and a fireplace tended by a smiling omega. Cas didn’t even pause, only walked straight up to the reception desk and pulled a folded sheet of paper out of his pocket, offering it to the beta behind the counter.

“I have a reservation,” he said as the beta took his paper and began typing at his computer.

“Ah, yes,” the beta said. “Castiel Novak. A grand suite with two queen beds and a view of the woods.” He selected a card from the wall behind him and moved to hand it to Cas before he smile faltered. “Ah, I’m sorry, sir, the room you chose is strictly no-alpha. We can house them in a side room for you, though there would be a small rent charge.”

Cas frowned. “Is there a room that does allow alphas?” he asked. “I’d prefer to keep them with me.”

The beta turned back to his computer, typing for a moment. “There is a junior suite available,” he said. “With two double beds and a view of the entryway.”

Cas seemed to think about it before nodding. “That will do,” he said.

“I apologize for that mix up,” the beta said, selecting a new card and handing that one over instead. “Would you like any complimentary luxuries to make the stay better? We offer massages and aromatherapy as well as hours at our gym, gift cards for our restaurant or to local restaurants. We’d love to make up for the mix up.”

Cas seemed to think about it for a moment. “Are alphas allowed in the pool?” he asked.

“With passes and collars, sir,” the beta said.  

“I’d like two,” Cas said. “And we’ll be ordering room service.”

“Both will be on us,” the beta said with a smile. “Enjoy your stay.”

The bellhop joined them in the elevator with the cart that held the suitcases. He also helped them find the correct room before finally leaving them with a promise that the collars and passes would be sent up momentarily and that they could order food whenever they wished.

“Well,” Cas said, finally dropping their leashes. “Here we are.”

Sam immediately undid the clip and tossed his leash aside, choosing one of the beds and climbing underneath the layers of blankets. A moment later, he kicked off his shoes and threw them on the floor. He growled lightly before settling down, just a lump under the blankets with a small hold for breathing.

“I guess he was tired,” Dean said. He didn’t feel comfortable taking off his own leash so he stood there awkwardly. 

“Do you want food right away?” Cas said.

Immediately, Sam shifted, peering out of the blankets. “Yes,” he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

“Alright,” Cas said, walking to the room’s phone. “What do you want?”

Neither Dean nor Sam said anything, both really waiting for Cas to make the decision.

“What about pizza?” Cas said.

Dean had vaguely heard of pizza. He tried to place it in his mind, wondering if he had eaten it before. He couldn’t really remember so he shrugged.

“Is it good?” Sam asked from under the blankets.

“Yeah,” Cas said.

“Then pizza sounds good,” Dean said.

“I’ll order now,” Cas said, already punching the buttons on the phone. “Then we can unpack and eat. Maybe swim.”

“What’s swimming?” Dean asked.

Cas paused mid-dial. “It’s like, with water,” he said. “You swim in water.” He sighed. “You’ll see. I think you’ll like it.”

“Okay,” Dean said, sitting down on the bed Sam had chosen to occupy.

Cas finished dialing, talking briefly with whoever was on the other side, thanking them when he was done and finally hanging up. He then turned back to the room and looked at the suitcases.

“Alright, Dean, want to help me unpack?”

Cas took his leash off, and together, they unzipped the bags and started pulling out clothes. Cas showed him which drawers to put which items and didn’t demand that Sam help them. They were just finishing with the last pairs of pants when there was a knock on the door and a call of “room service!” Cas let them in, and the room was immediately filled with the smell of cheese and meat and sauce. The delivery omega made sure they had everything they needed before leaving.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Sam was jumping out of bed. “It smells so good!” he said, nervously keeping his distance from the steaming, covered trays.

“You can eat,” Cas said, pulling the tops off to reveal two large pizzas with bubbling cheese as if they had just been taken out of the oven.

Dean gently took a slice, not exactly sure how he was supposed to eat it, but Cas didn’t give any plates or utensils. So, Dean held it the best he good without burning his fingertips and took a bite.

Pizza was definitely on his top favorite foods, Dean decided instantly. The cheese was gooey and the sauce savory. There were chunks of meat and tomatoes that gushed in his mouth. Dean had to force himself to chew so he wouldn’t choke as he took bite after bite after bite.

Sam seemed just as enthusiastic, finishing his first slice in moments before grabbing another. They ate in silence, too busy chewing to try to make conversation. Cas didn’t seem to mind. He tore open a container of lettuce and tomatoes, sprinkling a couple more toppings on as well as sauce before eating that with a fork.

It took Dean and Sam only a couple minutes to finish both of the pizzas, and then Sam tugged Dean under the blankets. Dean was warm and full and happy snuggled next to Sam, and Cas wasn’t demanding that they do anything. He let himself relax and doze off, breathing in Sam’s scent.

 


	21. Everyone is Not Who They Seem

The facility was an old building set far back in the woods, with only one road leading up to the large double door entry. A couple slightly rusty vans were parked off to one side, each stamped with Dr. Lafitte’s name and contact information. There was also a sign, but half of the letters were faded and needed new paint. The taxi Cas had ordered dropped them off at the front steps and then drove off after swiping his card. He was left standing in front of the building, clutching Dean and Sam’s leashes for comfort.

“Are we going to go inside?” Sam said, being the one to break the silence.

“I had an appointment,” Cas said, looking down at his phone. “We’re three minutes early. I think we can wait out here until—”

The double doors were flung open, interrupting him as a burly man burst out. He wore dark slacks and a button down shirt, half of the buttons undone. He had a lab coat on too, the tails flapping as he stomped down the stairs, a smile splitting his face.

“You must be Mr. Novak,” he said, grabbing Cas’s hand and pumping it in an enthusiastic handshake. “I am so excited to show you around. Not many people are interested in this place, you know.” He turned to Dean and Sam. “And which one of you is Dean?”

“Um, him,” Cas said, gesturing to Dean. He was a little overwhelmed by the man. Was this Dr. Lafitte? He was acting so . . . . unprofessional. 

“Nice to meet you, brother,” Dr. Lafitte said, grabbing Dean’s hand now and giving him a handshake that was just as enthusiastic. “I’m really interested in talking with you further.” He turned back to Cas. “Would you like to come inside?”

Cas nodded. “Yes, please,” he said.

“A couple rules,” Dr. Lafitte said, holding up a finger. He dug around in his lab coat pockets before pulling out three medical stick-on bandages. “One, no leashes or collars please. I really don’t want to give that impression to the younger kids here. Two, you need to wear these over your scent glands.” He passed over the bandages.

“What are they?” Cas said, watching as Sam ripped his open right away, awkwardly peeling off the back and applying it a little crooked.

“Scent blockers,” Dr. Lafitte said. “It’s just a precaution. I’m trying to keep these alphas in a pretty neutral environment and if they’re distracted by your scent then I can’t be sure my observations are pure.” He pointed to Dean then. “Maybe not you, how sure are you that you want him in the program?”

“Oh, I’m not sure,” Cas said. “I do but I’m not sure if . . . . if he wants to.”

Dr. Lafitte smiled at that. “You’re a good one,” he said. “I can tell that right now.” He nodded, as if that was his final judgement on Cas’s character. He then jerked his chin at Dean. “Put it on just in case. I think the kids will love you.”

The main lobby of the building was similar to the hotel’s with a fireplace currently unlit and a mismatched collection of sofas and chairs. There is no reception desk, but a woman wearing pale blue nurse’s scrubs is filling out paperwork on a coffee table.

“Oh, is this your ten o’clock?” she said, looking up when they entered.

“Yup,” Dr. Lafitte said proudly. “I’m gonna show them the grounds. Man the phone for me, would you, Lenore.”

“You know the phones never ring, Doctor,” she said teasingly.

“Please,” Dr. Lafitte said, addressing everyone in the room. “Call me Benny.” He looked to Cas. “You can leave their collars and leashes with her. She’ll return them when we’re all done.”

Cas gave Lenore the collars and folded the leashes carefully.

“So I know you’re studying medical alphas,” Cas said, following Benny as he led the way down one of the larger halls. “I started the first couple chapters of your book.”

“Ah, yes,” Benny said. “That old thing. Well, now I’m more focused on seeing how alphas develop outside a culture where they are second rate citizens. You see, I believe alphas _develop_ their aggression and social grace—or lack thereof. I have about a dozen alphas in this facility and I am raising them like omega children, to see if they develop differently. It’s all very interesting, I’m sure you’ll see. Just don’t be alarmed when they jump on you.” He laughed. “Some are very clingy.”

“Oh, I, uh, I can’t smell,” Cas said as they stopped in front of another set of doors.

Benny only smiled. “Even better,” he said and pushed them open.

It was a child’s playroom. A _huge_ child’s playroom. Toys and beanbags were scattered across the carpeted floor. Off in one corner was a bookshelf stuffed full with reading material. There were basketball hoops nailed crookedly to the walls, and wooden building blocks and legos were strewn everywhere.

And there were kids, all the way up to sixteen, maybe seventeen. The youngest ones looked to be only eleven or twelve. They all wore grey sweatpants and t-shirts and had the scent blockers stuck to their necks. They were loud and crazy and when they spotted Benny, they all made a mad dash to be the first at his side. Cas almost bolted from the room right then and there.

“Benny, Benny!” a little girl said, bouncing up and down, waving a book in his face. “I wanna read with you! Can you teach me some more letters?”

“Benny, come play basketball,” another boy said. “Come on, I wanna whoop your ass.”

“Language, Carter,” Benny admonished. “Where did you hear that?”

“You,” the boy said with a mischievous grin.

“Benny!” a young boy said and quite literally climbed up his coat and hung from his back. “Benny, Benny, Benny, Benny!”

“Jamie, please, get down,” Benny said. “Not in front of guests.”

Several of the older kids were eyeing Dean up and down, and several of the younger ones were circling Sam. Only one, the small girl with the book, was staring up at Cas, almost mesmerized.

“Everyone, this is Dean and Sam and Cas,” Benny said, pointing to each of them in turn. “They’re here to visit the facility and take a look around. Feel free to talk to them and show them around.”

Before Cas could do anything, the little girl latched onto his hand and yanked him along.

“Ah, Annie darling, I need to talk with him,” Benny said. He pointed to Dean. “But I'm sure Dean would love to see all your books.”

Annie let go of Cas's hand without a fight and grabbed Dean's instead. Dean looked a little daunted by the fact that this little girl led him along as if she didn't have a fear in the world. But she sat him down in the book corner and clambered onto his lap. Cas couldn't hear what she was saying, but she was pointing adamantly at her book.

Sam was trying to scent some of the older kids and getting strange looks. Whenever he tried to step closer to sniff them, they stepped back and exchanged awkward looks, circling him warily. Sam kept trying to step towards them and sniff them. They kept stepping back.

Finally, one girl, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail and a dog tag pierced through the top of her left ear, scooped a basketball up and tossed it to him.

Sam caught it, obviously, looking at it curiously.

“You play?” the girl said, hip cocked out to one side.

Sam shrugged. “I don’t know the rules,” he said.

The girl only grinned. “There are none. You just try to get it in the basket.” She pointed to one of the hoops hanging from the wall.

“I’m on his team!” another older boy said, stepping forward. “He’s tall.”

“Yeah but I bet he’s super clumsy,” another guy said.

The girl smirked. “Come on, buddy,” she said to Sam. “Show us what you got.”

“As you can see,” Benny said, directing Cas to two sofas pulled off to one side. They had to push off about a half a dozen stuffed animals off of them before they could sit down. “They act very different from what you would expect compared to an outside alpha. Although here, we try to avoid labels.”

Cas looked over the room, watching the kids play. Sam was starting to figure out how the game went, and Dean was figuring out how to read the words that Annie couldn’t.

“Where did you get them all?” he asked. Were they all volunteers?

“I’ve bought these guys with my own money mostly,” Benny said. “But again, we try to avoid talking about things like that here.” He pointed to Annie, where she sat on Dean’s lap. “Annie’s the newest, only been here six months, sweet thing.” He pointed to some of the older kids. “Some of them have been here for years,” he said.

“And you just . . . . . study them?” Cas said.

“I watch them grow up,” Benny corrected. “I watch them as they improve and become better without the world telling them they’re sluts, or whores, or alphas.” Coming from his mouth, each word sounded like a slur and made Cas regret ever using them as actual labels. Benny must’ve noticed his wince because he laughed. “I’m guessing you don’t think the same?”

“I don’t know,” Cas said honestly. “Gabe—my brother, he always told me that they’re lesser than us. You know, stupider and whatever. But I—I can’t smell them. I can’t smell the difference so sometimes I get confused.”

Benny grinned and tapped the scent blocker on his neck with two fingers. “We aren’t that different,” he said. “At least, that’s what I’ve learned. I mean, sure, our genitals aren’t the same but what’s that got to do with anything? These kids—they’re really great. You gonna stay for the day? See how we do things?”

“I can do that?” Cas said. He really, really wanted to.

“Well, sure,” Benny said. “And I bet Dean wants to get a feel for things, huh? Now, I should warn you, I can write up a certificate to get him qualified, no problem, but I won’t be able to give him perfect training. Medical alphas take years to train. If he’s only here a couple months or weeks or whatever you decide, there’s only so much he can learn.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Cas said. “I just—I thought it might make life a bit easier for him rather than just being a house alpha.”

“That’s definitely a conscious choice on your part,” Benny said.

Cas shook his head. “That’s not—I mean—that makes me sound like—I’m not a good omega,” he settled on finally.

“With all due respect, brother,” Benny said. “People grow and learn from their mistakes. You can do things that are not good in your past, but don’t go back to them if you think it’s bad. Grow from it. Don’t stay the same.”

Cas thought about it. And he liked the way that sounded. He didn’t like doing anything to Dean, he didn’t seem to have the same . . . . drive as Gabe did, and it was a relief to know that he didn’t have to. He didn’t have to look at Dean like that. He was just able to live.

“What do you think?” Benny said. “Want to join us for dinner?”

Cas looked over to where Sam was going toe-to-toe with the girl with the earring, a smile splitting his face as he jostled her and she jostled back, fighting for the ball and fighting for the way to the hoop. Cas looked to Dean who had let himself sink into Annie’s book and was making faces as he read the words out loud, making her laugh and giggle and make faces back at him.

“I think we can do that,” Cas said.

Meal time was even crazier than the play area. Cas was used to quiet meals with Gabe and no one else really, but all of the kids sat around one huge table and clambered to get their hands on whatever food they could. They yelled at each other and fought over plates and bowls. Cas hunkered down in a corner and did his best to not draw attention to himself.

Dean and Sam, on the other hand, fit right in, it seemed. They ate with gusto, as if they were starving. They laughed and argued and fought for their place, just like everyone else. The kids seemed less wary of them now. A boy jumped on Dean’s back to reach over his shoulder and grab at his bowl of food. Dean wrestled him away, and for a moment, Cas was scared a fight would break out. Dean only grinned and threw a piece of bread at the boy, and everyone laughed.

Cas felt more and more awkward and out of place in the boisterous room until Benny announced dessert in the backyard and everyone stampeded from the room. Cas froze in place, scared he would get trampled. When the last kid ran out, Benny was smiling down at him, offering a hand for support.

“Is it always this loud?” Cas asked, letting Benny help him to his feet.

Benny nodded. “Sometimes louder,” he said. “But you get used to it. They're great kids.”

The backyard of the facility was a huge expanse of cut grass, fenced in from any prying eyes. There was a small grove of trees in one corner, a huge playground with swings and slides, a jungle gym climbing area, and a random scattering of picnic tables. Lenore was setting up tubs of ice cream on one table, already preparing bowls and cones. The kids mobbed her, leaving Benny and Cas standing on the small porch.

“Scotty,” Benny said.

“What?” Cas said.

Benny pointed to the girl with the earring. “That's Scotty,” he said. “She had been at the labor camps two months and was scheduled to be sent to be terminated. They even tagged her. I was able to buy her after pulling a lot of strings, but the earring was infected and closed over before the purchase. No doctor will waste time digging it out, but she's says she doesn't mind.”

Cas watched as Scotty shouldered another guy bigger than her out of the way to grab a bowl of ice cream.

“Oscar,” Been said, pointing to a boy with black hair cut like a horse’s mane. “Is the oldest right now. I'm actually considering sending him out into the field, to actually help patients. I’ve had some people show interest in him.”

Cas blinked in surprise. “But if —” He felt stupid for asking. “But do they know they're alphas? Like how they will be treated?”

Benny laughed. “It's hard to say,” he said. “The people that show interest in him are aware of how the facility trains them. It might be a shock but they adjust.”

Benny introduced Cas to William, Grace, and Leo, all who he managed to get directly after they presented and knew nothing of the camps. They were all around twelve years old and were the closest three in the group. And Cas noticed that they acted very similar to Dean and Sam, like they were siblings. Grace was a red-head, missing a couple teeth, and seemed to love bossing Leo and William around. They sat in a clump, legs crossed with each other’s, eating out of each other’s bowls and sharing bites.

Next up were two older boys that had scars across their necks and shoulders, dark skin, and shaved heads. Benny introduced them as Liam and Mason, biological brothers, taken into custody by the police when the neighbors realized their parents were torturing them after presenting as alphas. PETA had gotten involved but after winning the case in court, needed a home for them. Benny had stepped forward and taken them in.

“Now they came from a messed up home,” Benny said. “Hicks – that’s what their parents were, way too old fashioned. From Alabama. They have much stricter rules down there. Poor boys presented as alphas on their family’s farm and were beaten for it.”

Cas gulped. He had never heard of that happening. For some reason it made his stomach twist in anger.

After that was Amber, fifteen or sixteen, a girl who would probably have brown hair if it wasn’t shaved completely off. She had a buzz cut, and Cas figured she would be the one to avoid. She looked scary. Rescued off the streets, Benny said, Amber had been living off of scraps after her family had kicked her out after having a baby. Benny had found her and coaxed her into trusting him and brought her to the facility. He wasn’t sure what else had happened to her, only that it had been bad.

Carter was a spitfire ball of energy, around thirteen, and even though he had spent a couple months at the camp, they hadn’t beaten the personality out of him. And he picked up on the language the guards had used and had quite the vocabulary that Benny had to constantly remind him not to use.

Jamie was a clingy fourteen year old who loved hugs, usually from Benny but would settle for Lenore. If neither of them were around, he would usually join William, Grace, and Leo in their pile. Instead of from the camps, he was from something called an alpha school where instead of hard labor, alphas would study and actually learn. It was a new development to see if educated alphas would cope better in society. Jamie wouldn’t know. He had flunked out.

Zoey was thirteen and, according to Benny, had carpal tunnel syndrome caused by tumors in her wrists that went untreated. She had loss of feeling in both hands and was occasionally clumsy. At the moment, she was eating her ice cream by hand, licking it off her fingers as it started to melt in creamy rivulets.

“She’s an amazing artist,” Benny said with a look of admiration. “Loves anything to do with coloring and painting, anything to do with her hands. I gave her a block of clay one time and she spent the entire afternoon making bowls and vases.”

Annie was the youngest of the entire group, barely ten years old. She had presented early, which threw her parents, who had been hoping for a sweet omega girl, into a panic. A friend of a friend of a friend had referred them directly to Benny and they had basically abandoned her at the facility.

“And that’s all of them,” Benny said fondly. “My kids.”

“Wow,” Cas said softly. The way Benny talked about them it was obvious that he cared about them all a lot. Cas tried to think of another time when he had heard an omega talk about alphas like that. He couldn’t.

“And I’d say that Sam and Dean fit right in,” Benny said, nodding at them.

Scotty seemed to have latched onto Sam the most, sitting cross-legged next to him as they ate ice cream. But Liam and Mason seemed drawn to him too. They all sat in a circle, talking about something Cas couldn’t hear, laughing occasionally. Sam was learning how rude it was to try to scent them now and was keeping his nose to himself.

And Dean seemed to have attracted Annie and Carter and Jamie, and they all seemed to try to sit on his lap at once, clambering for his attention. Dean didn’t seem to mind, taking turns scooping them all up and play wrestling. Annie would squeal in delight and make brave faces at him and try the pin him back. Occasionally, Carter would yell “shit!” in between giggles and try to tackle him. Jamie was just curled up on his lap, latched onto fistfuls of his shirt, determined to stay on as Dean twisted and rocked and leaned to play with Carter and Annie.  

“What if,” Cas said, feeling a lump form in his throat. “What if I just left them here with you?”

Benny made a noise in the back of his throat. “You can’t do that,” he said.

“Why not?” Cas said. “I mean, don’t you need as many alphas as you can to study?”

“Dean and Sam have both already been shaped by the world,” Benny said. “I study alphas as young as I can. While Dean and Sam are both great and I would love to talk with them further, all I can offer you is medical training for Dean and maybe a couple days of rest for them.”

Cas sighed. “I feel like I hurt them,” he said.

“Then fix yourself,” Benny said.

Cas looked to him in surprised, and Benny laughed.

“Sorry, that sounded a little harsh,” Benny said. “It’s just . . . . I think a lot of people forget that you don’t have to be what you were born, yeah? These kids –” He gestured out them. “They didn’t ask to be alphas. They didn’t ask for what happened to them. The same is for you. While you haven’t gone through the same things they have, you don’t have to let society shape you. Change.”

Cas hugged himself, watching as Dean playfully gasped and flopped over, letting Annie climb onto his chest and pin him with a triumphant grin. Carter climbed on top of his stomach immediately, and Jamie curled up tighter on his legs.

“Change is scary,” Cas whispered.

“Of course it is,” Benny said. “If it were easy, then everyone would do it. How about this – talk with Dean tonight. Like, sit down and actually talk to him, as an equal. Ask him what he thinks and let him know that you won’t be angry no matter what he says. If he wants to, you can come back tomorrow and I can walk you through what a day of training would look like.”

“What if he doesn’t want to?” Cas said.

Benny shrugged. “Then you figure out what he _does_ want to do,” he said. “It’s his decision. And before you say anything, yes, there are things you can’t do. Freedom isn’t an option, yet. But there are things you can do for him.”

Cas nodded, thinking it through. “I can do that,” he decided. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

“Well,” Benny said, offering him a hand. “I do hope I see you tomorrow. The kids love the company.”

“They seem very nice,” Cas said. “I hope we do come back.” And he shook Benny’s hand.


	22. The Decision

Dean couldn’t believe it. He would be staying _there_? At _that house_? With all those kids? When he had heard Cas talking about a facility, honestly, he had been expecting something much, much worse. Something like a hospital or something like the training center. But Benny was nice and Dean liked every single one of the kids.

Sam was fidgeting excitedly, still high strung from playing with everyone. He couldn't sit still, bouncing his leg up and down and glancing from Dean to Cas and back again.

“I liked that,” he finally said carefully. “Were they all alphas?”

Cas chewed his lip and stared out his window of the taxi they were taking back to the hotel. He still wore the scent patch which made him smell like medical flowers instead of his emotions. Dean couldn't tell what he was feeling.  

“I don't know,” Cas finally said.

Dean straightened at that. All the kids had been wearing the same, medicine-flowery smelling patches so he couldn't smell them. He had just assumed they were alphas because they were at the medical alpha facility. Dean was suddenly very nervous. What if Annie was an omega? God, he had been wrestling with Carter! What if he had hurt a beta? Or worse, an _omega_? But that couldn't have happened. Someone would've stopped him if he had been doing something wrong.

“Did you like it? The facility?” Cas asked, and Dean looked up and realized that Cas was looking at him, expecting his answer.

“I did,” Dean said. It was the honest answer. It has felt strange but not bad, not really.

“Would you want to go back?” Cas asked, his blue eyes boring into him.

Dean shrugged. “Sure,” he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. He was still a little wary of letting Cas know what he liked and disliked, scared that any little thing could be used against him.

Cas sighed. “Do you want to get food before going back to the hotel?” he asked next.

“Yes,” Sam said, answering for both him and Dean.

Cas instructed the driver to stop at a restaurant Dean didn’t recognize, and they drove in silence mostly. They picked up a couple bags from the restaurant and returned to the hotel. Dean wasn’t enthusiastic about putting his collar and leash back on, but he didn’t put up a fight when Cas clipped it back on and led them back into the hotel. They didn’t spend that much time in the lobby anyway. Cas hurried up the stairs and swiped into their room.

Once inside, Cas unclipped their leashes again and sent Sam into the bathroom to shower, setting the bags of food on the table. Dean wasn’t sure what he was expecting but certainly not for Cas to sit him down at the table and gently take his collar off and set it aside.

“I wanted to talk,” Cas said, taking the seat across from Dean and folding his hands in his lap. “The doctor – Benny and I talked, some, while we were at the facility.”

“And what did he say?” Dean said.

Cas picked at the corner of his bandage on his neck. Dean wasn’t able to smell his nervousness but he could sure see it.

“He said I should talk with you,” Cas said. “And, I wanted to ask you, like, ask you about what you thought of the facility. What you what to do. And I _honestly_ want to know. I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want to do.”

Dean studied him for a long moment, debating his options. Then he decided, screw it. “Yeah, I did like it,” he said. “I liked the kids and the place seemed very nice.”

“So you would want to go back?” Cas said. “For a couple weeks? To become a certified medical alpha?”

Dean shrugged. “Sure,” he said. “I thought about it. The place is nice and it seems like a good idea.”

Cas nodded, picking at the bandage further, starting to peel it back. He winced as it pulled at the skin. Dean flinched as he suddenly smelled Cas’s discomfort and then his relief as the bandage popped completely off.

“Do you want me to help with yours?” he asked, gesturing to Dean’s.

“Oh, I think I can get it,” Dean said, reaching up to scratch at the bandage. It did hurt to peel back, but he gritted his teeth and bore it, unclenching when it finally pulled off. He gave it to Cas to throw away. “What will you and Sam do?” he asked.

Cas started unpacking the bags of food, passing a couple packages over to Dean. “I guess we’ll stay here,” he said. “You know, wait until you’re done. Then we can all go back together.”

“Alright,” Dean said. He figured Cas wouldn’t try to hurt Sam in that time. He hardly seemed brave enough telling Sam what to do at times. “That sounds like a good plan.”

“Thank you,” Cas said.

Dean hadn’t really meant it as a compliment but Cas looked and smelled relieved with his approval so he didn’t say anything. Instead, he started opening up the packages of food, nearly drooling over the burgers and fries and chicken sandwiches he uncovered.

The shower turned off, and a couple moments later, Sam wandered out. He wore all his clothes from before and carried his collar in his hand. When he saw the food, he tossed it on the bed and hurried to the table, grabbing sandwiches of his own.

“I’m going to go back to the facility,” Dean told Sam around a mouthful of meat.

Sam looked to him, frowning in confusion. He glanced briefly to Cas before swallowing his bite of chicken. “To study?” he said.

Dean nodded. “I’ve decided I want to do it,” he said. “Cas said you’d stay here with him until I’m done. Sound good?”

“Sounds good,” Sam agreed. He kept glancing to Cas, as if he wanted to say something just not in front of him.

“And the hotel left these on the desk,” Cas said, holding up two plush red collars and two red nylon leashes. “They’re the pool collars I guess. So we can go swimming if you guys want.”

Sam looked to Dean. Dean looked down at the burger he was only halfway done with.

“After we eat?” he offered.

Cas shrugged, picking up a container of salad and settling down on the bed across the room to eat. “Whatever you want,” he said.

Dean wondered just how much Cas would allow them to do. If Dean said he wanted to leave the room, would Cas even tell him no? Without Gabe, Cas seemed like more of a pushover.

“After we eat,” Sam agreed, taking another bite of his chicken sandwich.

They ate mostly in silence. Occasionally, Sam would ask for Dean to pass fries or another burger. Cas didn’t say anything. He stared off in the distance, at his feet mostly, just idly chewing on his salad. Dean just ate the burgers as fast as he could. Surprisingly, when both he and Sam pushed away their empty wrappers, contentedly full, there was still food left over.

“You can put it in the fridge,” Cas said, dumping his own salad container into the trash. “And save it for later.”

Dean and Sam obeyed, carefully folding up the bags and balling up their empty wrappers. Then, to Dean’s surprise, Cas showed them the swimming gear that he had ordered.

The trunks were made out of a strange spandex like material that Dean had never really felt before, and he was surprised when Cas turned his back so that they could change in privacy. The trunks fit well, not too tight and not too loose. At least, his did. Sam had to tie the strings of his so that they didn’t fall down. Once they were dressed, Cas gave them the strange red collars, and they clipped them on.

They were much puffier than normal collars and they felt smooth. Dean fiddled with the clips. It didn’t lock like a normal collar, only snapped in place, which was weird.

“I think they float,” Cas said, scanning a piece of paper that had been sitting with the collars. “Like, they’re flotation devices.”

“Weird,” Sam said, tugging on his own collar before dropping his hands.

The pool was even weirder. It was oblong and curved in a lazy “L” shape, and if the depth markers were accurate, it went from three feet deep to six feet deep. Two different bubbling hot tubs were set into the ground off to one side. On the other side, there were two wooden doors—one marked omega, the other marked beta—and an open shower area. On the far side of the pool were reclining beach chairs with small side tables and rack of towels. No one else was there, and the entire place smelled of chlorine and cleaner.

“Well then,” Cas said, unclipping their leashes. “There you go.” He headed towards the beach chairs with his book tucked under one arm.

Dean looked at Sam. Sam looked at him back.

They had gone swimming before. It was an old, old memory from before they had presented. They had been just kits really. One summer, to celebrate school getting out, their dad had taken them to the public pool. Free admission—which was probably the only reason they went. Still, that memory of walking through the gates and seeing the multi-colored slides and the crowds of other young kids. The floaties and pool noodles, the other kids and the lifeguards—it had been a dream come true for both of them. They had spent the entire afternoon in the water and had come away as wrinkled as raisins.

Now, they exchanged a look and they both knew that the other thinking.

Sam grinned. “I’ll race you,” he said.

Dean grinned back. “I will kick your ass.”

And they both bolted for the pool, clawing at each other and trying to push each other back.

Dean didn’t even know who hit the water first. The water was warm and not a shock, but the collar jumped against his neck, pulling his head upright as he threatened to go underwater. Even if he didn’t tread water, the collar kept him up and free of drowning. He watched Sam flounder the same way, coughing a little. The small discomfort couldn’t ruin the moment.

“I think I won,” Dean teased, even though he had no idea.

“In your dreams,” Sam said and lunged for him.

Rough housing in the water with flotation collars was hard, but they splashed and tousled and tried to pull each other under. They swam laps and climbed out to jump back in. Occasionally, Dean would glance to see if Cas was watching or if he cared what they did. He was only sitting on one of the beach chairs, completely engrossed in his book, barely giving them a second glance. Dean paid for his second of distraction when Sam planted his hands on his shoulders and shoved him under the water with a cackle of glee.

Dean burst back up, choking for breath.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” he growled playfully at Sam, who had retreated to the shallow end of the pool.

“Come and get me,” Sam said and then yelped like a kit when Dean dove towards him with a playful snarl.

Sam scrambled out of the pool, sloshing water everywhere in an effort to escape Dean. Dean didn’t even falter at climbing out after him, grabbing for his ankles.

“Careful,” Cas warned, for the first time speaking up. “You’ll slip.”

Dean stopped. Sam didn’t. And almost immediately his feet shot out from under him and he hit the tile hard. And immediately, his laughing turned to yelps of pain as he rolled over on his back, clutching at his elbows which were already starting to bleed. His knees were pretty torn up too.

Dean dropped all sense of joking, feeling his stomach twist instantly into knots. Cas jumped up too, throwing his book aside.

“Sam!” Dean said, at his side in a moment. The sight and smell of blood made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, making him want to growl.

“Dean, careful!” Cas said.

Dean nearly lashed out when a hand on his shoulder pulled him away, but he held himself back, watching as Cas dropped to his knees next to Sam, gently cupping his hand and coaxing him to uncurl. Dean hovered anxiously until Cas pointed to a first aid box hanging from the wall behind the beach chairs.

“Get that for me please,” he said.  

Dean didn't want to leave Sam but he leaned away and finally hurried to the wall, snatching up the box. He had to pull it a little, yanking it harder than necessary, and the whole thing cracked and snapped and came off in his hands. He shrugged that off, taking it back to Cas.

“This is going to sting,” he warned, rummaging around in the box for a moment before pulling out a small tube of cream. He smeared some on Sam's elbows.

Sam hissed and pulled away, or at least, tried to. Cas gripped his arm tight enough to keep him from lurching away. He worked steadily and methodically, like a doctor almost. Sam finally settled down to soft whimpers as Cas continued to work.

“Easy, easy,” Cas coaxed, ripping open some bandages and carefully pressing them into place. He used a roll of medical tape to secure them, wrapping a couple loops around Sam’s arm before repeating the whole process on his other arm.

Sam was finished crying by the time Cas finished with his knees, and Cas sat back with a sigh.

“You good?” he said.

Sam nodded, rubbing his eyes and sniffing back the last of his tears. “Yeah,” he said, looking very sorry and very contrite. “Sorry I ran.”

“Well, at least you didn’t get hurt too bad,” Cas said, cleaning up the stuff he had used and straightening up the first aid kit. He stood and moved to place it back in its place in the wall.

Dean immediately jumped forward, pulling Sam to his chest and scenting him quickly. He still smelled like tears and sadness and medicine all mixed together, but as Dean leaned in and gave him a quick lick on the neck, he laughed softly and his scent shifted.

“I said I’m good,” he said, pushing Dean half-heartedly away.

Dean scented him one last time, before pulling away with a smile. “You’re an idiot,” he said.

Sam ducked his head but he was smiling too. “I guess we have to go back to the room now, huh?” he said, glancing over at Cas, who was struggling to reattach the first aid kit to its stand on the wall. “I can’t swim with bandages.”

“I was getting tired anyway,” Dean said with a shrug. He helped Sam up to his feet, his stomach twisting a bit when Sam winced and had to limp.

Cas gave up on reattaching the first aid box and settled for setting it on one of the tables. He then collected his book and a couple towels, which he handed to Sam and Dean.

Dean helped Sam dry off his hair and the draped the towel around his shoulders before doing the same with his own towel. Cas reattached their leashes, and together, they all made their way back to the room. Cas had them dry off with more towels before they could change into other clothes. He also let them eat some of the leftover food before they crawled under the blankets of their bed, curling up together.

Dean was careful not to brush against Sam’s elbows or knees too much. Even though Sam was putting on a brave face, Dean could tell they still stung. Sam’s scent betrayed him.

Cas turned out the lights and climbed into the other bed and the room fell silent except for the whir of the heaters. Dean and Sam lay forehead to forehead for several minutes, hands resting on each other’s ribs and hips.

“So you’re leaving tomorrow,” Sam whispered.

“Yeah,” Dean whispered back.

“And you’ll be gone for a couple weeks,” Sam said.

“Yeah,” Dean said.

They lay in silence again. It was too dark to see faces, but they could smell each other. And that was enough.

“You be good for Cas,” Dean said. “If I hear anything when I come back I’m gonna whoop your ass.”

“You mean you’ll _try_ ,” Sam said.

Dean gave a soft, playful growl. “I _will_ ,” he said.

Sam shrugged, tipping his face into his pillow to bear his neck in mock submission. “O-okay,” he said.

Dean leaned forward to graze his teeth along Sam’s shoulder, just to show how serious he was. “I mean it,” he said, lightly nipping the skin.

Sam shivered and nodded. “Okay,” he said, smelling much more sincere.

“Good,” Dean said, letting him go. “Because Cas is nice. One of the nicest omegas we’ll ever get. We don’t want to lose him.”

“But I don’t want to lose _you_ ,” Sam said.

“You won’t,” Dean said. “Just wait, I’ll be back in a couple weeks and then everything will be okay. It will be better than okay.”

Sam didn’t argue that fact, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

 


	23. Being Gentle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a speed demon ^-^

“Well then,” Benny said, dusting off his hands as Cas pulled away in the taxi that had dropped Dean off. If Dean looked, he would’ve seen Sam’s face pressed against the window, pleading silently with him. But Dean didn’t look. “Let’s get you settled.”

Dean wasn’t wearing his collar, just like yesterday, and Benny had given him a new scent patch to put on his neck. It was still awkward as he walked into the building again, Benny already chatting about rooms that would have to be prepared and food that had to be ordered. Dean only half paid attention, giving Lenore an embarrassed wave.

“The kids are all excited,” Benny said, leading the way back to the play area. “It’s not often someone your age joins them. Lenore and I are about the oldest people they know.”

“They don’t go anywhere outside this place?” Dean asked. He figured he wouldn’t get in trouble for speaking. Benny seemed to like talking anyway.

“Nope,” Benny said. “They stay here, so my observations don’t get ruined by anything.”

Dean nodded even though he didn’t really understand.

“Now,” Benny said. “I’m going to have you work with Zoey for the most part. She’s a sweet girl and also the closest to Cas.”

“What do you mean?” Dean said. He didn’t remember getting introduced to a Zoey yesterday, and Sam hadn’t said anything either. “Who’s Zoey?”

“Zoey’s sweet,” Benny said. “But she had tumors in both her wrists that went untreated because her owners didn’t want the medical bills. When I got her, we had to perform emergency surgery and even then, we weren’t able to save everything.”

Dean felt his stomach twist. “What happened?” he asked almost fearing what the answer would be.

“She’s fine, don’t worry,” Benny said. “For the most part.” He walked past the doors to the play area, heading further down the hall. “She doesn’t feel as well as you or I would. She’s a bit clumsy too and requires more stimulation before she realizes what she’s touching.”

“You mean she burns herself?” Dean said.

“Heavens no!” Benny said with a laugh. “She’s not like that. No, she drops toys, maybe can’t clutch pencils sometimes. She’s sweet and means well, and you—” He stopped in front of another door that had a name label of “Zoey” and a couple papers with crayon drawings taped to it. “You are going to help her.” Benny knocked before entering.

The room was painted pale pink and the sheets and blankets on the bed were that medical, pale blue. Zoey was sitting at a desk with a huge stack of paper and a one hundred-twenty pack of crayons which she currently had spread over her desk, working on a current picture. There weren’t any other toys in the room except a stuffed teddy bear on the bed. Zoey looked up when they entered, breaking into a huge grin.

“Benny!” she said, jumping up to hug his knees.

“Hey, Sweet,” Benny said, leaning down to hug her back. “You remember Dean, right?”

Zoey stepped back, giving Dean a once over before nodding.

“He’s gonna be staying here for a bit,” Benny said. “And I want you to teach him all about this place, huh? That sound fun?”

“Okay,” Zoey said. She didn’t look particularly enthusiastic and since she wore one of the flower patches, Dean couldn’t smell her either.

“Dean’s gonna just hang out,” Benny went on. “Be learning some stuff.” He gave Zoey a wink. “Make sure the others won’t eat him alive, ‘kay?”

Zoey’s face suddenly turned solemn and she grimly nodded. She walked over to her desk and shuffled through her crayons before selecting a deep dark blue. She then walked back to Dean and offered it to him.

“Thank you?” Dean said.

“That’s the brave color,” Zoey told him conspiratorially. “It makes you brave.”

Dean traced his fingers along the length, feeling the three grooves that had been gouged into the end through the paper covering. Probably so that Zoey could easily feel it. Dean slipped it into his pocket under Zoey’s strict supervision.

“Do you wanna go to the play area?” she asked.

Dean looked to Benny, wondering what he was supposed to do. But Benny only shrugged.

“I need to go make sure lunch is started,” he said. “Zoey, you can at least give Dean a tour, huh, Sweet? Don’t keep him stuck in this room. He’s a good guy.”

“Okay,” Zoey said, but she only plopped down back at her desk and continued coloring as Benny slipped out of the door.  

Dean wandered around the room while she continued to color, scenting the bed sheets and the stuffed animals, briefly considering trying to scent Zoey herself. But everything smelled like those flower patches and it was basically useless. Finally, after circling the room a couple times, he sat down on the bed and watched Zoey color.

She moved heavy-handedly, fisting her crayons and drawing in dark, thick streaks. Dean cocked his head and sat silent for a moment before speaking up.

“Can I try?” he asked.  

Zoey immediately nodded. She fisted a couple sheets, wrinkling them as she passed them over. She didn’t seem to notice as she grabbed a couple crayons to add to his pile. “If you need any other colors,” she said. “I can give you them too.”

“Thank you,” Dean said. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to draw just that he didn’t want to sit there without doing anything. He thought about it a moment and then picked up one of the crayons, a brown one, and started with a hesitant circle.

Zoey reviewed it with a critical look and then nodded. “That looks good,” she said.

With that vote of confidence, Dean continued, adding hair and clothes and more circles and eyes and smiles until he had a picture of him and Sam, together. It looked a little plain so he asked Zoey for a green crayon and added grass.

“You’re really good at this,” Zoey said, looking at his final product. “Look at mine.”

Her picture was of Benny clearly, a big burly man with a white coat and a huge smile. He was holding a plate of some sort of food which Dean couldn’t tell what it was exactly. Still, Zoey seemed very proud of it as she bounced out of her seat, grabbing a roll of tape out of a drawer and yanking open her door. She ripped a piece of tape off and sloppily stuck her picture to the wood, adding it to the already huge gallery.

“Here,” she said, reaching out a demanding hand for his picture.

Dean wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do so he passed it over, watching as she stuck it up right next to her own. Dean almost wanted to take it down and fold it up and put it in his pocket but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings or anything. So, he let her keep it up and followed her as she ran down the hall. He had to jog just to keep up.

Apparently, where they were headed was the play area because that’s where she led him. Not everyone was there from yesterday. Scotty was playing basketball with Oscar, Liam, and Mason. Dean tried not to stare at the spidery thin scars on the two boys’ necks and tried not to wonder what had happened to them. Instead, he let Zoey pull him over to the buckets of playdough and clay.  

She uncapped the clay as she plopped down, pulling out a fistful. She folded her legs up and started kneading it like dough, pinching and pulling like she was desperate to feel it. Dean took out a clump of his own and started copying her. And he nearly jumped out of his skin when Carter snuck up behind him.

“Motherfucker,” he whispered into Dean’s ear.

“Geez!” Dean said. “Don’t do that, kid!”

Carter giggled, climbing over Dean’s knees and onto his lap, shoving the lump of clay out of Dean’s hands. He clung to Dean’s chest and shirt like a koala, burying his face in Dean’s neck. For a moment, Dean though he was trying to play fight, so he scooped Carter up, nuzzled him back and let out a playful growl, skimming his teeth gently over the skin of Carter’s shoulder.

Almost immediately, Carter squealed in authentic fear, twisting to get away, tears welling up in his eyes. He kicked at Dean, hitting him in the stomach.

Dean dropped him with a cough, rolling back. Zoey screamed, and almost immediately, Liam and Mason were there, dragging Carter and Zoey away. Dean was about to roll to his feet when a foot planted in the middle of his chest, pinning him on his back. Dean grunted and looked up only to see Scotty glaring down at him.

“Okay, dude,” she said. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I thought he wanted to play,” Dean said. He hated that he couldn’t smell her. Well, it was obvious that that she was angry but it hurt that he couldn’t smell anything else. Was there frustration? Was there disgust? Dean scowled.

“What even makes you think that?!” Scotty said, pressing her foot down harder.

Dean was tempted to bare his teeth at her. He was tempted to yank her down to his level and pin her just to show her who was the alpha. But Liam and Mason were both looking at him as well, cracking their knuckles and looking like they were very ready to fight.

“I don’t know,” Dean said, letting himself go limp. He tipped his head to the side, showing his scent glands covered by the bandage. “Look, I don’t want to hurt him.”

Scotty snorted but didn’t take her foot off his chest. “Look, bud,” she said. “I don’t know who you think you are, but we don’t let just anyone come out here and do whatever they want, capish?”  

Dean was about to growl back when they were interrupted.

“What’s going on over here?” Benny demanded, rushing over. His lab coattails flapped against his legs and while he didn’t look especially mad, Dean couldn’t exactly smell him.

“He was gonna hurt Carter,” Scotty said, immediately backing off of Dean as Benny approached.

“He was going to bite,” Liam said, crossing his arms.

Mason nodded in agreement. “I saw him too.”

“Alright, everyone step back,” Benny said, bending to grab Dean’s hand and haul him to his feet.

Carter was still crying, clinging to Liam’s knees, practically begging to be picked up. Zoey was also trembling, hiding behind Mason and looking terrified of Dean.

“Dean didn’t mean anything,” Benny said, giving Liam and Mason a stern look. “And Scotty, stepping on him was completely uncalled for.”

“I wouldn’t say completely,” Scotty said with a shrug.

“Can I talk to you alone?” Dean mumbled, tugging on Benny’s sleeve.

Benny gave him a stern look too, bending to scoop Carter up, tucking him close to his chest. Carter didn’t even try to scent him like a normal kit would, only buried his face in Benny’s coat.

“Quickly,” Benny said, jerking his chin at an uninhabited corner.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!” Dean hissed once they were far enough away from the group. He was careful to keep his voice down since Benny was still holding Carter. “I thought he wanted to wrestle. That’s not my fault!”

“Hey, bud, it’s okay,” Benny whispered to Carter before acknowledging Dean. “We don’t wrestle here,” he explained. “Although this kind of culture misunderstanding is very interesting.” He started muttering more to himself, bouncing Carter. “Someone who grew up in the culture of smell and contact and then someone who grew up outside of that.”  

“That doesn’t help me,” Dean said, just glad that he couldn’t smell Carter’s sadness or his tears.

“I guess this will test your adaptability,” Benny said with a smile. “You have to accommodate someone who doesn't think or act the way you do without offending or hurting them.”

Dean scowled. “This isn’t funny,” he said.

“Oh, of course it isn’t funny,” Benny said, combing his fingers through Carter’s hair. “Carter doesn’t think it’s funny. And I’m being completely serious.”

“And how does that help me?” Dean said.  

Benny gave him a tight-lipped look, signaling that Dean was close to stepping over his boundaries. “Adjust,” he said simply and then he sighed. “Look, I don’t mean to be insensitive, but I’ve watched everyone here come from different backgrounds and everyone gets along.”

“Alright,” Dean said, letting his shoulder slump down and the fight leave his stance. “Alright. I was just caught off guard. I didn’t expect him to react the way he did.”

“Hear that, Carter?” Benny said, ruffling Carter’s hair. “He’s sorry and he didn’t mean to scare you.”

Carter sniffed and peeked out from under his fingers. His tears had dried for the most part and he didn’t look as scared. Dean took that as a good sign, and when he looked over at Scotty, she only rolled her eyes and jerked her chin at Liam and Mason. Together, they gave Zoey one last pat on the head and returned to their game of ball.

“I’m sorry,” Dean told Carter just for extra measure. “I didn’t mean anything.”

Carter nodded but didn’t say anything. He only squirmed his way out of Benny’s grip and ran off to the bookshelves and hiding under one of the bean bags.

“I’m going to be so bad at this,” Dean said, hating that he couldn’t smell the way Carter was feeling at the moment.  

Benny laughed. “It’ll be interesting to watch,” he said, brushing off his hands on his thighs and walking across the room towards the double doors.

Dean wanted to call him back and demand that Benny do something about the flower patches on everyone’s scent glands. It made it hard to read everyone, and nearly impossible to know if he had screwed up or not. Impossible to know if Scotty kept shooting a glare at him every couple seconds or it he was imagining it.

He sulked back towards Zoey, plopping down rather hard on the floor across from her, snatching up his lump of clay and slamming his fist into it without thinking.

Zoey giggled at him and punched her own clay too, actually leaving a decent sized dent in it. She laughed when Dean gave her an odd look.

“That’s the only way I feel it,” she said, giving her clay another punch. “But Benny doesn’t like it when I do it. Says I should be gentle.”

“Fuck being gentle,” Dean said without thinking and then remembered who he was talking to. He punched his own clay again.

Zoey only laughed. “You talk like Carter,” she said. “And being gentle is nice.”

Dean wanted to tell her that she was an alpha and that alphas were never gentle, how they only blundered about and messed everything up. He wanted to tell her that alphas didn’t know how to do anything right and that omegas were the ones that worked good jobs and had good lives. He wanted to comfort her about the fact that she was an alpha and protect her from every omega that would ever want to hurt her. He wanted to wrap her up in a hug and never let her go.

Instead, he pounded his clay again, shaping it into a bowl and then crushing it. It directed his anger and it helped that Zoey thought it was hilarious.

Dean just didn’t tell her.

 


	24. The Label of Human

It took Dean a week to settle into the facility and learn routines. Despite Benny insisting that words and labels like ‘alpha’ and ‘omega’ were banned, Dean began to pick out a hierarchy in their ranks and different cliques.

Oscar and Scotty were the oldest and the most in charge, although Scotty was more likely to boss him around. Liam and Mason hung out together and with Scotty although they didn’t seem to be minions or grunts. They kept to themselves in their own group mostly.

Grace was the bossiest out of everyone, a fiery redhead with gaps in her teeth and the tendency to yell at inappropriate times. Leo and William, two nearly identical blonde haired boys, hung out with her all the time, and while they followed her around like lost puppies, they only rolled their eyes when she tried to tell them what to do. Like siblings.

Amber was an outcast in almost any setting. At meal times she would snatch up her food and no one dared challenge her for it. In the play area, she stuck to herself, usually holed up in a corner with a book or a puzzle. She glared at Dean every time she caught him staring and when Benny wasn't looking, she flipped him the finger.

Jamie had a tendency of following Benny around looking for hugs. If he wasn't latched onto Benny's legs, then he was dragging a stuffed animal around with him. He was the quietest of the bunch, less likely to get into a fight and most likely to sneak food out from under your nose.

Annie was the smallest, youngest, and most enthusiastic about being at the facility. In Dean's opinion, she acted most like an omega — not that he was allowed to say that. She would bounce and laugh and read books and demand attention like any omega would. Sometimes, she was the reason Dean would almost forget that they were all alphas.

Carter was the kid with the mouth that was still a bit wary of Dean after the first day, but Dean was able to win him over after muttering a few unmentionable swear words under his breath that even Carter hadn’t heard before.

Dean was glad he hung out with Zoey for the most part. She was straight forward, basic, and the most alpha out of them all. Being with her was like being with Sammy. And helping her like Benny wanted was just as easy. If Dean could get her a lump of clay or playdough then she was content.

“So you just stay here every day and never leave?” Dean asked, kneading his lump of clay, trying to decide what he wanted to make.

“We study classes,” Zoey said, squeezing her own clay so hard that it oozed out between her fingers. “And we go outside. And sometimes Benny talks to us about different things.”

“Like what?” Dean said. Every other day he had made bowls, maybe today he would try a vase.

“Just about different stuff,” Zoey said, giving her clay a hard punch. “Like what we think of each other and what we think of classes. How we feel and stuff.”

Dean tried to think of a time when an omega had asked him about how he felt and actually cared. He thought of Cas.

“Mostly we just play and sleep all day,” Zoey went on. “It gets kinda boring when there’s nothing to do.”

“Don’t you get visitors?” Dean said. “Like me and Cas and Sam?”

“Not often,” Zoey said with a shake of her head. “Sometimes Benny says that people aren’t interested in us. But that’s only when he’s super sad or when he’s drunk a lot of the alcohol.”

“The alcohol?” Dean repeated.

Zoey nodded sagely. “Sometimes amber, sometimes clear like water, sometimes it smells fruity and nice, but we're never allowed to have any.”

“Huh,” Dean said, attempting to pull his clay up into a taller vase shape. He squashed it back down when it didn't work.

“Lenore gets us soda instead,” Zoey said. “Soda pop she calls it. It's fizzy and sweet and nice.” She looked up from her work. “I can see if we can have it while you're here. I can ask!”

Soda pop did sounds delicious, and Dean did admit that he kinda wanted to try the stuff. He molded his clay into a ball and poked his fingers in it. “That would be fun,” he said.

“And maybe,” Zoey said. “If we make something good, Benny will let us bake it to make it hard and we can keep it.” She rolled her clay out into a long snake and wrapped it in a giant swirl. “He hardly ever lets me bake anything because he says clay is expensive, and I can’t waste it.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Dean said.

A small bell chimed somewhere, meaning that it was time for lunch. Zoey frowned but crushed down the bowl she had been shaping and returned the clump to the container. Dean followed suit, but it wasn’t like he had anything started. He and Zoey walked out of the play area, following Liam and Mason to the dining room.

Dean helped Zoey with her plate, making sure she didn’t burn herself on any of the serving dishes. She had the bad habit of grabbing the serving utensils and the steaming dishes before they had cooled down at all. With Dean’s help, she pointed out what she did and didn’t want to eat, and he scooped everything onto a plate for her. They found a seat together, across from Grace, Leo, and William and dug in.

“Ah, Dean,” Benny said, taking the seat next to him with his own plate of food. “I was hoping I would be able to catch you.”

“Hey,” Dean said, shoveling a huge forkful of food into his mouth. The food at the facility was better than anything he had ever tasted, better than the center food and better than the alpha pellets that Gabe insisted he eat. He wanted to get as much of it as he could.

“You seem to be settling in just fine,” Benny said, taking a much more conservative bite of his sandwich. “Do you like the facility?”

“Yeah, it’s great,” Dean said. There was no reason for him to censor himself around Benny, and he was able to speak his mind. “I love it here.”

“I hoped we could talk after eating,” Benny said. “Privately.” He watched as Zoey squeezed her food in her tight fists before eating the mush off her fingers.

Dean glanced to Zoey as well, watching for a moment before pulling out his napkin. He gently took her wrist, letting her lick off her other hand while he cleaned the one. Then he cleaned the other one as well before pressing a fork into her palm until she gripped it.

She didn’t seem to care about what he was doing, only continued eating as soon as he let go of her again, humming to herself as she swung her legs back and forth.

Dean caught Benny hiding a smile behind another bite of his sandwich, but he didn’t say anything so Dean shrugged it off. Zoey finished the rest of her meal using her fork and spoon with minimal mess and Dean was able to eat his meal as well too.

Everyone else was still fighting for food and arguing over who got what, so Dean helped Zoey put her dishes in the sink and together they slipped out for the dining room. Zoey had just grabbed his hand and was pulling him back toward the play area when Benny cleared his throat, stopping them halfway down the hall.

“Zoey, sweet, I’m gonna have Dean come with me for a bit,” he said. “He’ll be back soon though, I promise. He’ll meet you by the clay buckets, alright?”

Zoey huffed, clearly a little upset, but she let go of Dean’s hand. “Fine,” she said but gave Dean a pleading look. “Come back soon, okay?”

“I will,” Dean said, even though he had no idea if he would be or not.

Benny led the way back to a small office with a ragged desk and an old swivel chair that he plopped down in. He gestured to two overstuffed chairs, and Dean chose one and sat down, a little wary. The office was messy overall, files and manila envelopes scattered haphazardly across every surface. An overflowing file cabinet was pushed off into one corner, pages sticking up out of its drawers. In didn’t look omegian, or smell like it, and Dean forgot, for a moment, whether Benny was omega or alpha. It made him panic briefly, that he could forget his place in the world so soon.

“You’re not in trouble,” Benny said, rummaging around through all the files before finding what he wanted. “You don’t have to be scared.”

Dean wasn’t sure if the fear registered on his face or if Benny could somehow smell him. Either way, he forced his shoulders to relax. “I’m not,” he said.

Benny only smiled. “I just wanted to ask how you thought everything was going,” he said. “It seems that you and Zoey are getting along nicely.”

“Yeah,” Dean admitted. “She’s super nice.”

“And I notice that you’re figuring out how to help her with the different things she struggles with,” he went on. “Carter hasn’t come crying to me recently, and Scotty hasn’t picked a fight.” The last part was said mostly teasingly, though it was true.

“It’s hard,” Dean said. “But I’m figuring it out. I just have to notice things more quickly. It’s strange and definitely weird.” He rubbed his nose and sniffed. “But at the same time, it’s pretty cool.”

Benny laughed, scribbling something in the margins of the files he was looking over. “Cool,” he repeated. “I guess I’ve had my work described as worse.”

“I mean the kids,” Dean said, feeling self-conscious. “Like, they don’t know anything about the world. I mean, they don’t know anything about alphas and omegas and stuff. They act like omegas do.”

Benny wrinkled his nose. “Please, Dean,” he said. “You know how I feel about labels like that.”

“Sorry,” Dean said. “But it’s true.”

“Be that as it may,” Benny said. “I would prefer you don’t use them to describe anybody.”

“What am I supposed to call them then?” Dean said.

“Humans,” Benny said flatly. “Because that’s what they are.”  

Now it was Dean’s turn to feel embarrassed. He didn’t want to have his life determined by the label given to him by someone else, but at the same time, the label was his _identity_. It was _him_. What was he without that label? Human? And what kind of label was that?

“Sorry,” he repeated.

“It’s okay,” Benny said, going back to writing in the file. “Just, see what happens when you don’t label everyone.” He set his pencil down and leaned back in his chair, settling his hands on his stomach. “Tell me about Cas.”

That wasn’t what Dean had been expecting. He flinched before he knew what he was doing and glanced to the door, wondering if he could run.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Benny said, not moving from his reclined position. “And I don’t want to get you in trouble. I just want to talk, alright? I’m not going to tell Cas anything you say here. You are safe.”

Dean snorted. Safe was a stupid concept. But still, as long as Benny didn’t go running back to Cas, then Dean figured he could tell the truth. He slumped back into his chair and fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

“He’s like Zoey,” he finally said. He gestured to his face. “Except of being unable to feel, he can’t smell. He can’t tell when he’s hurting himself or other people, but when you sit down with him, he’s probably okay.” He gave a dry laugh. “Not like I have that chance.”

“But you were able to sit down with Zoey,” Benny said. 

“That’s because she’s an al—” Dean quickly corrected himself. “She’s human.” With that label, it just sounded like he was making an excuse.

“Try sitting down with Cas,” Benny said. “You never know what could happen.”

Dean could certainly guess. He could guess at the whips and the paddles and the toys. He shuddered to call them that. He knew what Gabe did when he was angry. He knew partially what Cas would do when he got angry.

“Anything else you’ve noticed?” Benny prompted.

“Zoey doesn’t like being told what to do,” Dean said, thinking back to the time where he had tried to get her out of bed only to receive a pillow to the face. “She doesn’t like when you point out when she’s doing something wrong.” There was the time when he had tried pointing out that the pattern she was pressing into the clay bowl was lopsided and she had crushed it and painted the rest of the day. “And she’s more competent than she lets on.”

Zoey had once pretended not to feel when Grace had tried shaking her awake. Since Dean slept in her room on a floor cot, he had been the first to snap out of sleep when Grace had come barging in, demanding that they wake up. Dean had watched Zoey’s eyes flutter open, but when Grace jostled her and pulled at her hands and feet, she had pretended to remain asleep until Grace lost interest and ran off. Only then did she roll over and flash Dean a mischievous grin.

“It sounds like you’re getting along nicely,” Benny said.

Dean grunted. That was one way of putting it.

“What do you think will happen if you go back to Cas?” Benny said.

Dean didn’t know. His blood ran cold at the thought. Going back to a house with Cas and Gabe? But he would be going back to Sam. Would the good outweigh the bad?  

“Cas still makes you nervous,” Benny said. It wasn’t a question.

“I make him nervous,” Dean said

Benny chuckled. “If that is true,” he said. “Then why do you flinch every time he moves? I’ve spent my entire grad years studying how people move and how they act around each other. I studied under some of the top intellectuals of my field. I see how you act, Dean, and I see that you are scared.”

Dean hated how easily that Benny was able to pick him apart. Just like that, it was like his entire being was laid out before him, with no secrets and no hiding. He narrowed his eyes at Benny, clenching the armrests of his chair tight.

“Of course, you don’t want to admit that,” Benny said. “And I won’t make you. But there is also no use denying it.”

“You should see Cas around Sam and me,” Dean said, still not wanting to acknowledge the twist in his gut. “He’s ready to piss his pants the moment we move too fast.” He stared down at his feet and then registered what he had said. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“Don’t be sorry,” Benny said. “I’m not angry.”

“And I’m not scared,” Dean said.

“Then help him,” Benny said, his gaze hard and challenging. “Help Cas if you aren’t scared of him. He’s trying to understand the world same as everyone is, and he’s having a harder time doing it. If you’re not terrified of him, then help him understand.”

Dean almost snarled, scowling at the floor and he clenched his hands into fists.

To his surprise, Benny only laughed. “Why don’t you try?” he said. “Even if it’s just to prove me wrong.”

Dean wasn’t so sure, and Benny must’ve caught onto his indecision.

“When Amber first got here,” he said. “She bit me.” He offered his hand to Dean, showing off the crescent shaped scar on the side. “Hard, she bit me hard. She didn’t trust me for shit, and look at her now.”

“She still doesn’t trust you,” Dean said, frowning.

“She trusts me enough to come to me when she’s worried about Zoey,” Benny said. “Amber, she’s fiercely protective of Zoey for some reason I haven’t figured out yet. And Amber trusts me enough not to tear this place apart when I have you following Zoey around all day.”

Dean stiffened, immediately thinking to all the dirty looks Amber had been giving him. He thought it was just because he was the new alpha, not for anything else. Suddenly, he was very scared of treating Zoey wrong. What was worse was that he hadn’t been able to smell the hatred or distrust from her this whole time.

“See,” Benny said. “Everyone's a bit more complicated than they want to let on.”

“So?” Dean said. “What’s that have to do with me?”

“You don’t trust Cas,” Benny said. “But all things come with time.”

Dean wrinkled his nose. “But Cas is an om—” He sighed, slumping in defeat. “He’s human,” he corrected himself softly, hating that it still sounded like an excuse.

Benny smiled. “Exactly,” he said. “He’s human, and so are you.”

Dean stared down at his hands, listening to the scratch of pen on paper as Benny wrote something in the margins of his file. Human, huh. Dean figured he could at least try.

 


	25. They

“Fuck your chicken strips,” Carter said over lunch a couple days later. He giggled, trying to goad on Scotty, whose chicken strips were the ones being theoretically fucked.

She glared at him. “Fuck _your_ chicken strips,” she snapped back.

Carter cackled, dunking his chicken in a pool of barbecue sauce and ripping off a chunk. He chewed loudly, smacking his lips at Scotty who tightened her grip on her glass of water.

“Stop. That.” she said, her voice low and threatening.

“Guys, chill,” Dean said with a roll of his eyes. He liked Chicken Strip Day and didn’t want Lenore to take it away. “You do this every meal time.”

“It’s better than nothing,” Liam said.

“Like dinner theater,” Mason added.

Dean wasn’t quite sure what dinner theater was but he was struggling to both prevent Scotty from strangling Carter and keeping Zoey from getting sauce everywhere. She was already squishing her way through the barbecue but was looking curiously at the bottles of ranch as well.  

“Hey, Scotty, if you punch Carter, I’ll take out Dean,” Oscar said, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Dean narrowed his eyes, wondering why Oscar was testing his patience. Usually, Oscar didn’t mind Dean and even went as far as helping him corral everyone else and keep the peace. Apparently, today, he didn’t care about keeping the peace.  

“Oh, come on,” Dean said. He couldn’t deal with all of them being brats.

“Food fight!!” Grace yelled, giving Dean a gap-toothed smile and raising a fistful of chicken over her head, ready to fling it across the room.

Almost immediately, Leo and William ducked underneath the table, clearly not wanting to get caught up in the crossfire. They were joined by Jamie who was clutching his stuffed rabbit protectively, probably not wanting to get it dirty. Annie laughed excitedly, banging her fists on the table, rattling all the dishes and silverware. Dean cringed, completely ready for all hell to break loose. Everything was silent for a moment, and Carter grinned.

“Fuck your chicken strips,” he stated loudly and plainly.

And everyone jumped into action. Scotty lunged across the table with a snarl, grabbing for Carter so she could strangle him. Before Dean could make a move to stop her, Oscar was tackling him off his bench, and they crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs. Grace whooped loudly and immediately began throwing chicken strips. Zoey managed to grab the bottle of ranch, ripped the cap off, and dumped a huge puddle of it that ended up half on her plate and half on the table. Annie squealed, shrieking laughter as she started throwing chicken as well. Liam and Mason grabbed as much chicken as they could and ducked under the table to join Leo, William, and Jamie.

“Come on, big man,” Oscar goaded, sitting on Dean’s chest and pinning his shoulders. “I thought you were strong.”

Dean gave him a challenging smile, getting caught up in the moment. “Oh, I’m stronger than your mom,” he said.

He heaved himself up, managing to flip himself over and trying to get on top of Oscar. He wasn’t quite fast enough though, as Oscar rolled away, out of reach. And then he was lunging at Dean again, grabbing his shoulders and flipping him back over. Kid was stronger than he looked.

“Old man,” Oscar challenged mockingly. “Old, _weak_ man.”

“What the bloody hell?!” Benny yelled, the door to the dining room slamming open as he entered. “Everyone! Food down. _Now_!!”

And almost immediately, the room went silent. Dead. Dean almost coughed with Oscar sitting on his stomach but held his breath so that he wouldn’t be the one to break the tension. Grace was frozen with one hand mid-swing, about to launch a chicken strip at Scotty, who had Carter by the front of his shirt and had been shaking him. Annie and Zoey were frozen, Annie in the middle of dumping out all the sauces and Zoey in the middle of using them as finger paints.

Liam popped up from under the table, dragging Mason with him, leaving Leo, William, and Jamie to cower by themselves.

“It was Carter,” Liam said. “He’s the one who started it.”

“Dean tried to stop it,” Mason said.

“So you all decide that throwing good food and wasting dinner was a good idea?” Benny said. “Oscar.”

Oscar jumped to attention, scrambling off of Dean to stand in front of Benny, looking definitely ashamed. He wouldn’t meet Benny’s gaze, only stared down at the floor.

“I want you to shower,” Benny said. “You have clients coming to see you in an hour, and you will be _decent_ when they arrive.”

Oscar’s gaze snapped up, his mouth dropping open. He didn’t say anything for a moment, staring dumbly at Benny. “Clients?” he repeated quietly. “I’m getting adopted?”

“Not if you have barbecue sauce in your hair,” Benny said, gesturing to the door. “Shower, now.”

Oscar hurried out of the room, already running his fingers through his hair, muttering to himself.

“Scotty,” Benny said. “Drop Carter.”  

Scotty obliged, shoving him down on the floor and earning a pointed look from Benny. She only shrugged, not looking nearly as ashamed as Oscar had.

“You’re going to the showers too,” Benny said. “And then back to your room for the night. I expect perfect marks on your math homework after all this.” He gestured to the mess of the room.

Scotty frowned but didn’t argue, stomping out of the room and shooting one last glare at Carter. He giggled from his spot on the floor.

“Don’t get any ideas, wise guy,” Benny said, addressing Carter next. “Because you’re cleaning all of this up, getting a shower of your own, and then going straight to bed.”

“Awe man!” Carter said, popping to his knees. “The food fight wasn’t even my idea!”

“Is that an excuse?” Benny said.

Carter snapped his mouth shut.

“Get to the kitchen,” Benny said. “Tell Lenore why I sent you.”

Carter nodded and hurried off, ducking his head as he passed Benny. He wouldn’t meet his gaze or anyone else’s.

“Liam, Mason,” Benny said, talking to the boys next. “Thank you, for being _mature_.” The word cut into Dean and he winced. “Please take Jamie, Leo, and William to the baths and get them cleaned up.”

Liam and Mason quickly nodded, jumping into action and herding the three boys out from under the table and out the door. They murmured reassurances and kind words under their breath in an effort to keep Jamie calm, so that he wouldn’t turn to Benny for a hug.  

“Annie, Grace, you are going to be helping Carter clean this place up,” Benny went on.

“I’m sorry!” Grace blurted. She certainly looked it, chicken smeared across the front of her shirt and ranch and barbecue sauce on her hair and face.

“I'm pretty sure you are,” Benny said. “Doesn't mean that gets you out of cleaning. Go on, Lenore will wash you up in the kitchen and you can take a shower afterwards too.”

Grace slunk off, followed quickly by Annie when Benny gave her a stern look.

“Dean,” Benny said, finally addressing him.

Dean scrambled to his feet, brushing crumbs and dust off the front of his shirt and pants. He felt small under Benny's gaze, like a young kit. He felt about as old as Annie and just as in trouble.

“You're going to clean up Zoey,” Benny went on. “Clean up yourself too, while you're at it.”

“Alright,” Dean said. He had been expecting something a lot worse.

Zoey was absolutely covered in sauce, splattered across her face and her arms coated all the way up to her elbows. She only laughed and lifted up her arms as Dean scooped her up. He wasn't too worried about getting his clothes dirty but did wince a little when Zoey patted his cheeks and smeared a mess of barbecue and ranch across his face.

“Easy,” he said, propping her on his hip as he walked out of the dining area. He knew where the bathrooms and showers were. By this point, he knew where everything was and didn’t get lost often.

The largest shower and bath area was already taken, Liam’s and Mason’s voices drifting out with the steam as they coaxed Leo, William, and Jamie into cleaning up. Dean walked a couple curtains down and set Zoey down on the tiles.

“You are a mess,” he said, pulling the curtain closed to give themselves some privacy.

Zoey only laughed, clapping her hands to watch the sauce splatter against the walls and floor. Dean rolled his eyes, plugging the tub and turning the water on. He carefully adjusted the temperature before leaving it to fill. He turned back to Zoey, motioning for her to lift her arms. She obliged with a grin.

“ _You_ are a mess,” she said to him.

“Yeah, because of you,” Dean said, pulling her shirt up over her head.

All the girls at the facility had sports bras and since only the shirt was dirty, Dean didn’t go farther. Instead, he helped her out of her socks and sweatpants before turning back to the tub. He added a generous pour of bubble bath into the water and swirled it around. He adjusted the temperature slightly before stepping back to pull off his own shirt and pants.

“Come here, you,” he said playfully, scooping Zoey up and tossing her in the air, prompting her to squeal with laughter. He then plopped her down in the water, pressing a washcloth into her hands, making sure she gripped it before grabbing a washcloth of his own and stepping into the water across from her.

He left the faucet running, wanting the tub to fill a little bit more. He made faces at Zoey, making her giggle, as he began to scrub his arms. He urged her to do the same.

“That was fun,” she said as she worked. “Eating has never been that fun before.”

“It was messy,” Dean said. “And now Benny is angry at us.”

“Benny’s not angry,” Zoey said. “He just doesn’t like the mess. As soon as we get it picked up, he’ll be fine again.”

“Here,” Dean said. “Let me help you.”

Zoey was completely missing the sauce on her arms and face, focusing more on her fingers and hands instead. He wiped them off gently, having to dunk the cloth again and again. The water quickly became grimy with the mess, and Dean pulled the plug, draining the tub, rinsing it, and then starting to refill it. He added even more bubble bath than before, smiling when Zoey’s eyes lit up at the bubbles.

“Hold still,” he said, gently cupping her face and wiping away at the streaks on sauce on her cheeks. He was so focused on being as gentle as possible that when rough hands settled on his shoulders, he almost jumped out of the water.

“Easy,” an equally rough voice said.

Before Dean could say anything, someone stepped into the water behind him, settling down in the slosh of bubbles and suds. The hands were replaced with a washcloth which scrubbed across his shoulders, carefully avoiding the scent patch. Dean wasn’t even sure who it was until Zoey jumped up, sloshing the water wildly as she jumped up and down excitedly.

“Amber!” she said. “Amber! Amber! Amber!”

“Hey, kiddo,” Amber said, a smile in her voice. “Heard meal time was crazy.”

“We had a fight!” Zoey said, splashing the water in excitement. “We had a fight with the chicken and the sauce and it was fun!!”

“I heard,” Amber said, running her cloth down Dean's back and over his ribs. “Benny's not gonna be happy.”

Dean squeaked when the wash cloth dipped in between his legs. And then almost immediately, Amber was pulling back.

“Shit, shit, I’m sorry,” she said, the gravel in her voice getting particularly rough. She stood, the water gushing off of her in rivulets, and she scrambled out of the tub.

Dean was finally able to get a look at her and blushed when he realized she was naked, all her clothes completely discarded in a pile by the door. She hugged her arms across her stomach, not really hiding herself but mostly ashamed that she had touched him. And Dean couldn’t help but stare.

Twin scars jutted across her ribs, right underneath where her chest would be, curling up to her armpits. But she didn’t have a . . . . chest. And she didn’t have nipples. More scars branched out from her crotch and across her thighs. Without clothes, she looked flat and broken, and she wouldn’t meet Dean’s gaze, only kept her eyes locked on the ground.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice quiet and scared. “I wanted to see if you were like me.”

“Oh, fuck,” Dean breathed, pushing himself up out of the water. He stepped out of the tub but wasn’t sure if he was supposed to approach her or not.

“Language,” Zoey whispered, still hunkered down in the bath. She didn’t seem to want to leave the water, eyes darting between them.

Amber finally looked up at him, unshed tears making her eyes red, and Dean felt his heart break.

“They’ve ruined me,” she said. “Just because they could.” She sniffed back her tears and snot, not quite breaking down but almost. “They ruined Zoey because they didn’t care. They ruined Liam and Mason because of who they were.”

Dean wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. He wanted to scent her. He wanted her to scent him. He wanted to comfort her but he wasn’t sure how.

Amber sucked in a deep breath and finally seemed to pull herself together. She shrugged. “I wanted to see if they ruined you too.”

“No,” Dean said softly. “No, they—fuck.”

He stepped forward and gathered Amber in a hug, fighting the urge to dip his face down and scent her. Instead, he only held her close to his chest, curling around her as if that could protect her from the world. As if. If only.

“You big oaf,” she muttered, but she didn’t push away.

They stood like that for a long moment, Dean just holding Amber and Zoey just sitting in the tub, idly scrubbing her arms. It was Amber who broke the hug, gently pushing away.

“We should finish washing up,” she said, giving Zoey a brave smile. “Come here, you.”

She climbed back into the tub, and Dean got a good look at the stretch of scars across her thighs, butt, and lower back, circles burned into her skin like constellations. And then she sunk below the bubbles, and everything was hid from view. Zoey seemed to appreciate the change in mood as she giggled shyly and helped Amber begin to scrub. Dean watched for a moment before climbing in to join them.

The water was a welcomed warmth after the chilled air of the bathroom, and Dean scooped water up onto his chest to get rid of the goosebumps. He grabbed his own washcloth again and, after a moment of hesitation, began scrubbing Amber's back for her. Zoey kept the tension from settling down as she laughed and splashed and made an all-around mess as she got clean.

Amber was able to wrangle her into sitting still long enough to shampoo her hair and rinse it clean before shooing her out of the stall with a large fluffy towel draped around her shoulders. Dean was about to stand up and follow her but Amber stopped her, offering him the bottle of shampoo.

“Do me?” she said.

“Oh, yeah,” Dean said, gently taking the bottle.

He didn't have much experience washing his own hair let alone someone else's. He worked slowly, massaging a small amount of shampoo into the stubble on Amber's head. He worked his way down to her shoulders, kneading the muscles, gaining more confidence as Amber relaxed under his hands.

He rinsed it just as carefully. It wasn’t too hard, since her hair was so short. It only took a couple scoops of water before the soap had been completely washed out.

“Alright,” Dean said. “All done.”

Amber turned in the water, planted her hands on his chest, and leaned in. Before Dean could do anything, she was kissing him softly on the lips, not pressing for anything more, just kissing him. Her eyes were closed, so Dean closed his as well. He wasn’t sure where he was supposed to put his hands so he rested them on her ribs, feeling them flair with each breath. He wasn’t sure where the kiss was going, but Amber pulled away after a several long seconds.

“Fuck, I don’t want them to ruin you too,” she whispered.

Dean cradled her face then, wishing that Amber wasn’t holding back all her tears. He wished she didn’t have to suffer.

“I won’t let them,” he said.

“We don’t have a fucking choice,” Amber said, her voice still quiet. “We don’t have a choice in this fucked up world they made for us.” She sneered then, clenching her hands into tight fists. “Benny thinks he’s got this perfect place for us, but I know. I know what it’s like. Fuck them.”

Them. What a nameless, faceless thing to hate. Just a vague concept of the entire world rolled up into a single word and flung out there with a couple swears and middle fingers. It was empowering and scandalous and meant to be whispered and shouted and spoken at any volume you wanted. It was band aids over their cuts and bruises and a salve for their scars and wounds.

Amber gave a dry laugh and finally stood, sloshing the water as she moved hurriedly. She grabbed a towel off the stack and flapped it open, slinging it around her shoulders.

Dean unplugged the tub to let it drain before climbing out after her.

“You have a good home here,” he said, not sure what he was supposed to say if anything. He just wanted to comfort her. “At least. Benny is nicer than most. And here you’re allowed to be . . . yourself. You’re allowed to _be_ without someone getting angry at you.”

“And what a freedom it is,” Amber said, giving him a genuine laugh this time. “What an amazing freedom it is.” She gave him a smile. “I don’t know if it’s cruel that you get to experience it, only to yank it away when you go back to the outside world.”

“I’ll be fine,” Dean reassured, but even he didn’t know if that were true. He grabbed his own towel and roughly dried his hair, arms, and thighs before gathering his clothes. He tugged on his shirt first, scrambling with his pants as Amber walked out of the stall without preamble.

“I guess that’s all I can hope,” she said, grabbing a new change of clothes from a bin by the door. She dropped her towel and yanked them on. “At least I know Zoey is safe with you.”

Dean felt his cheeks go hot at the high praise. “Thank you,” he said, once again scrambling for something to say and falling short.

They stopped at the doorway to the bathroom, nearly chest to chest inside the frame. Dean could hear Liam and Mason still cleaning up in their stall but it sounded like Leo, William, and Jamie were gone. The bathroom wasn’t quiet yet, although it soon would be.

“Don’t forget about us,” Amber said, giving him a stern look. “When you leave, I mean. I don’t want to be forgotten.”

“I won’t forget you,” Dean promised. “I could never.” Slowly, so he wouldn’t scare her, he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, just as gentle as she had been but he pulled away immediately after.

Amber smiled sadly. “You don’t deserve to be an alpha,” she said, whispering the words, knowing she would get in trouble if Benny heard her.  

Dean swallowed thickly around the lump in his throat and rested a hand on Amber’s shoulder. He kept his voice down too, like their conversation was illegal and they couldn’t get caught. “You deserve to be human,” he said, earning a startled laugh from Amber.

“You’re a big old sap, you know that, right?” she said.

Dean grinned, glad he had finally managed to cheer her up. “I’ve had people tell me,” he said.

“Come on, oaf,” she said, giving his arm a playful slap and finally slipping out.

Dean grinned proudly and followed after her.


	26. When It's Time to Leave

The day that Oscar left was a sad, sad day. Everyone at the facility was bummed, moping around the halls and not doing anything. Dean couldn’t even coax a smile out of Zoey with lumps of play dough. That’s how he knew it was bad.

It had happened that morning, right after breakfast. The dishes had been cleaned up and the food put away. Everyone was about to wander off and do their own thing when Lenore had swept into the room with a clipboard and a wide smile, proudly telling Benny that “They are here, sir, they are _here_.”

Everyone had then gathered in the hall, huddling around Oscar. They all wanted to give him a hug or a smile or a goodbye. Benny gave him a new sweater, a thick grey one that looked like it had been made for an omega. Oscar pulled it on with his eyes shining in amazement. He then gave Benny a hug, clutching him tight and letting his tears soak into his lab coat.

“Don’t get emotional now,” Benny chided with a teasing smile.

He then fitted a nylon vest over his shoulders and chest, tightening it so that it was comfortable. A padded patch that read “Medical Alpha” rested right across his ribs. Benny double checked that none of the straps were pinching Oscar anywhere before holding him at arm’s length, giving him a smile.

“You ready?” he said.

Oscar laughed through his tears, having to reach up and wipe his cheeks. “No,” he said.

Benny pulled him into a hug with a laugh of his own. “You’ll do fine,” he said. “Trust me, you’ll be fine.”

And then everyone got a chance to give Oscar a hug and a goodbye. By the time he got to Dean, nearly everyone was crying.

“Who’s the weak one now?” Dean teased.

“Oh, shut up,” Oscar said, grabbing him in a tight hug and squeezing him.

Dean hugged him back, laughing as Oscar refused to let him go for several long moments. Dean ended up having to nudge him away when the hug got too long.

“Go on,” he said. “The people are waiting.”

“Everyone back to your rooms,” Benny said. “I need to take Oscar away now.”

There were moans and groans of protest, but Benny waved them off, shooing them away. Lenore had to carry a weeping Jamie and blubbering Annie, and Liam and Mason helped with Grace, Leo, and William. Amber scooped up Zoey before Dean could, hushing her with soft noises before carrying her off.

“You want to come with me, Dean?” Benny said, jerking his chin at Dean as he clipped a lead to the ring on the back of Oscar's vest.  It was a command in the form of a question.

Dean wasn't sure why he was supposed to go with but he nodded anyway.

Oscar was busy rubbing his tears away as they walked down the hall to the lobby. There was a small family waiting for them in the lobby. A mother and father, both omegas from what Dean could smell. It was a shock, being able to smell someone after weeks of the flower patches. They smelled happy and anxious and eager. Dream breathed deep, savoring the fact that he could _know_ that instead of having to guess. Their son, not yet presented from what Dean could smell, was sitting in a wheelchair slightly in front of them.

“Is this him?” the woman said, taking a tentative step forward. “This is . . . Oscar?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Benny said.

To Dean's surprise, Benny carefully pulled Oscar's shirt aside and even more carefully peeled off the flower patch, balling it up and stuffing it into his pocket.

And suddenly Dean could smell him.

Oscar smelled like mud. Not the bad kind that had been at the camps, but good like the ground after a heavy rainstorm. And as he stood there, fidgeting, studying the family anxiously, his scent changed from dark and muddy to sweet and flowery, lilacs.

“Oh, he’s so adorable,” the woman said, clasping her hands over her heart.

“Well, what do you think, Jesse?” the man said, settling a hand on the shoulder of the boy in the wheelchair.

“I love him!” Jesse said, leaning forward eagerly in his chair.

“His name is Oscar, dear,” the woman said.

“Go on,” Benny urged softly, nudging Oscar forward.

As Dean watched, unnoticed from his position near the door, Oscar stepped forward, cautiously offering a hand to Jesse who grabbed it eagerly, pulling him down closer to his height.

“Hello!” he said. “My name is Jesse!”

“I’m Oscar.”

Dean had never seen Oscar nervous before, but he fidgeted and shifted and finally leaned down to scent Jesse. It was awkward, the most awkward thing Dean had seen in a while. He fumbled, scenting Jesse roughly like a newborn kit, knocking his nose and chin against Jesse’s. Jesse only giggled, scenting him back.

The mother was wiping tears away from her eyes, hugging her husband’s arm as she watched her son.

“Thank you,” she said to Benny. “Honestly, thank you, I thought there was no hope when the accident took his legs. Thanks to you, I feel like he can finally live a fulfilling life.”

“Thank Oscar as well,” Benny said, directing the attention back to the two boys who were now laughing together, scenting each other like dorks as they held each other’s hands.

“Oh, honey, they’re going to get along so well,” the woman said, hugging the man’s arm.

Dean watched as the Lenore provided Benny with some paperwork and he sat down with the man and woman. Oscar and Jesse finally got over scenting each other and began whispering in hushed tones. Even though Jesse looked to be a few years younger, that didn’t deter Oscar from joking with him like an equal. It was . . . . reassuring to Dean, seeing that he fell into place so quickly. He had been expecting something worse, much worse.

The paperwork was done all too fast, and then Benny was saying goodbye. Oscar seemed to be over his tears, but Dean felt a twinge in his stomach when he watched them walk out the door. They all looked to happy together, and it was Dean’s first time smelling Oscar happy. How many times had he been happy at the facility? How many times had he smelled this sweet and Dean just didn’t know? For some reason, it made his heart ache.

After one final goodbye, they were out the door and gone, maybe forever, and Benny was turning back to Dean.

“I want to talk in my office,” he said.

Dean swallowed and nodded, following him back through the familiar hallways and to the office. He sat down without prompting, watching as Benny pulled out a relatively organized folder, setting down on his desk before taking a seat himself.

“You’re almost ready to leave yourself, you know,” he said, flipping it open and shuffling through the different pages. “Do you think you’re ready?”

“I don’t think I’ll ever be as ready as Oscar,” Dean said.

Benny laughed. “Oscar had years of training,” he said. “I’m condensing the most important parts down into a couple weeks especially for you. If you don’t feel as ready as Oscar then that’s completely normal.”

Dean wasn’t sure if that was reassuring or not. “How soon will I be leaving?” he asked, almost dreading what the answer would be.

“It depends,” Benny said, finally selecting a piece of paper and presenting it to Dean along with a pencil. “If you want to quickly fill this out for me, I can tell how far along in your studies you are.”

“Like a test?” Dean said, taking the paper and pencil.

Benny nodded. “Exactly like a test.”

Dean looked over the questions and nodded. They looked easy enough. He hunched down, gripping the pencil tightly as he started to fill out the different questions. Most of them were easy, like “Who has the authority in a medical emergency, you or the doctor?” Others were harder, like “What do you do when you see a patient in distress?” He did his best though and when he was finished, he handed it back to Benny.

It was nerve wracking to wait while Benny looked it over. And his face and smell gave nothing away. Dean fidgeted in his seat, trying to judge how he did before Benny was done. Finally, after several long minutes, Benny set the paper down and looked up at him, leaning casually back in his chair.

“Well?” Dean said. “How did I do?”

Benny smiled. “I think you’ll be ready to leave in a couple days,” he said. “And you weren’t feeling confident.”

Dean slumped back in his chair with a sigh, unaware of how tightly wound he had been. It felt like all tension had left his muscles, leaving him slouched in the chair. He and Benny sat in silence for several long moments before Dean spoke up again.

“Have you told Cas?”

“Not yet,” Benny said. “I wanted you to take the test first, and now I know that you are improving, I will most likely contact him to give him an estimated time when you can leave.”

Dean swallowed thickly. “Okay,” he said.

“You can leave if you want,” Benny said, pulling another folder out of his desk. “I have some other paperwork to do and it would be boring for you to just sit there.”

“Thank you,” Dean said, pushing himself to his feet and hurrying out of the room.

He went looking for Zoey of course. He checked her room first and when he found nothing, he headed to the play area. He found her sitting with the tubs of playdough, idly kneading a large ball in between her fingers. She didn't look like she was enjoying it, but she didn't stop. She seemed stuck in a loop of squash, roll, squeeze, repeat. She didn't even look up with Dean sat down next to her and scooped out a chunk of playdough for himself. He started shaping a bowl, pressing his thumbprints in to create a pattern.

“What's up?” he asked finally.

Zoey froze in the middle of shoving her first into her ball. Before Dean knew what was happening, she was sobbing, tears rolling down her cheeks as she hiccuped for breath.

“I can't feel,” she said in between sobs. “I can't—I can't _feel_!”

Dean immediately dropped his bowl and shifted to her side, scooping her up and pulling her onto his lap. “Hey, hey, hey,” he whispered. “It's okay.”

He cupped her hands in his own, massaging the palms and gently rolling her fingers between his own. Then he threaded their fingers together and gave her hands a squeeze.

“Can you feel that?” he asked.

Zoey sniffed but nodded, burying her face against Dean’s chest. So he continued messaging her hands, not entirely gentle, enough to coax some feeling into them but not hard enough to hurt her. She was still crying against Dean’s chest, but Dean let her, figuring she would talk to him when she was ready. And she did.

“Why did he have to leave?” she asked, finally giving his hands a squeeze in return.

“He’s going to help people,” Dean said, knowing that she was asking about Oscar. “He’s going to make a family very happy and he’s going to help them.”

“I wanted him to stay here,” Zoey said. “I didn’t want him to leave.”

“Neither did I,” Dean said, cradling her closer. “But now he has a job. Now he’s going to be able to help so many people.”

Zoey sniffed. “Will I have to leave someday?”

Dean swallowed, not really knowing the answer to _that_ question. With Zoey’s hands though, he figured she wouldn’t be in a position to be a medical alpha anyway. He ran his thumb over her knuckles.

“No, you won’t,” he said. “You’ll probably stay here for a long time.”

“What about you?” Zoey said. “Will you ever leave?”

Dean gave her hands a squeeze. “Yeah,” he said honestly. “I am. I came from a different home and I have to go back to that home. I’m going to be helping people just like Oscar is.”

“You don’t want to stay here?” Zoey said. “Don’t you like it here?”

“I _love_ it here,” he quickly said. “And I love everyone here, including you. But my brother isn’t here, and I love him too. I have to go back to him.”

Zoey nodded slowly, and Dean hoped she understood. It was a relief when she gave his hands a tight squeeze back, even tighter than he had done before. Her fingernails dug into his skin, leaving bleached-white half-moons in his skin. Dean let her clutch him despite the pain until she relaxed with a sigh.

“I love you,” she whispered, so softly that Dean wasn’t sure if she had said anything at all.

Dean smiled and curled around her, drawing her to him in a tight hug. “I love you too,” he said. “And I want you to know that I would never purposefully hurt you. You are stronger than you know. You can survive.”

He wanted to impart every single piece of information and knowledge that she was strong. He wanted her to live and thrive and not be beaten down by fucking social standings. He didn’t want the world to ruin her and he wracked his brain for words that he could say that would give her strength. A soft hand on his shoulder made him look up.

Amber was standing over him, and in one smooth motion, she sunk down next to him, wrapping both him and Zoey in a hug of her own.

They sat there together, curled around each other. Dean whispered promises he wouldn’t be able to keep. Amber sealed each promise with a kiss. Zoey pressed her nails into their skin to make patterns that would be their armor. And they didn’t move until they were all strong enough to stand on their own.


	27. Going Home

When Benny zipped up the work vest over his shirt, Dean felt like he had actually accomplished something. For the first time in his life, he felt like he had done something worthwhile. He felt a wave of pride wash over him as the zipper settled into place, and he couldn’t help but puff out his chest.

“Congratulations,” Benny said, patting him on the shoulder. “You did it.”

Zoey was already crying when Dean turned to the group, and he laughed in sympathy, bending to scoop her up. She immediately latched onto his neck, clearly not intent on letting go anytime soon.

“I’m not leaving soon,” he reassured. “We still have the entire day.”

“I don’t want you to leave!” Zoey wailed into his shoulder. “I want you to stay!”

“Alright, let’s give Dean and Zoey some space,” Benny said, shooing everyone away. He got a dirty look from Amber but she didn’t argue. In a couple moments, it was just Benny, Dean, and a still-crying Zoey.

Dean bounced her gently, trying to get her to calm down. He kept reassuring her that he wasn’t leaving anytime soon and that they still had the entire day to play with each other. After a couple minutes, Zoey eventually calmed down enough to hold back her tears but she still refused to let go of Dean’s neck. He was forced to carry her, at her prompting, back to her room.

“I want to color,” she said, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks.

“Alright,” Dean said. At least she let him go when he set her down at her desk. He sat down on her bed, within reach so that he could color too.

Zoey was still sniffing as she pulled out several pieces of paper as well as all her crayons. Dean took them without hesitating, not wanting to upset her any further. He even gave her a big smile, choosing a light brown that was most similar to her hair.

“I’m going to draw you and me,” he said, trying to coax a smile out of her.

Zoey set her mouth in determination though and grabbed her own crayon. “I’m going to do that too,” she said firmly.

Dean chuckled at her seriousness and started his own drawing.

They worked in silence for the most part, the only sound was the crinkling of their papers and their skid of crayons on paper. It took Dean a couple minutes before he was finished just because he put as much detail and love into the drawing as possible. When he tried to check to see how close Zoey was to being done, she waved him away.

“I’m not done!” she said, covering her paper with her arms. “You can’t look until I’m all done!”

“Okay, okay,” Dean said. He grabbed another piece of paper. “Then I’m going to draw something else.”

He drew himself and Sam this time, eating burgers. They wore those huge sweaters that Cas had bought for them and the plate of four burgers turned into a platter of them, towering up as Dean idly sketched more and more on top. When there were too many burgers to be logical and Zoey still wasn’t done, Dean eyed the blue and black crayons that were placed too strategically next to each other.

Dean thought it over for a moment and then hesitantly picked them up.

There wasn’t much room for Cas next to him and Sam especially with the mountain of burgers. But there was a section off to the side where he could fit. Dean sketched him in, giving him messy black hair and blue eyes and then dressing him in soft grey sweatpants and a sweatshirt. He was just finishing coloring him in when Zoey slapped down her crayons.

“Done!” she declared.

Dean quickly swapped pictures, tucking the one of him, Sam, and Cas to the side and offering Zoey the one of him and her. And she handed him hers and together, they looked at what the other had drawn.

Zoey’s picture was messy and heavily colored, like every drawing she drew. It was him and her, obviously. They both had huge smiles and were standing hand in hand. She had drawn Amber too, on Dean’s other side so that they all stood in a row. Pink and purple hearts floated over their heads and all around them and Zoey had roughly signed the bottom corner in her messy handwriting.

“Do you like it?” Zoey asked eagerly. “Because I can add more hearts if it needs it.”

“No, it’s the perfect amount of hearts,” Dean said. “Do you like mine?” For some reason, he really wanted her to like it and to tell him that she liked it. He wanted to know if he had done a good job or not.

“I love it!” Zoey said. “I’m gonna hang it up on my door and never take it down!!”

She took out the roll of tape that she had and eagerly opened her door, searching for an empty place it would fit. She ended up pulling down a picture she had drawn of Benny and herself, which she had done multiple times and had multiple copies of, and replaced it with Dean’s picture.

“You have to keep yours,” she said. “Okay? You don’t get to hang it up on the door.”

“Of course not,” Dean said, carefully folding up the paper and tucking it into one of the pockets that was on his vest. He folded up the one of him, Sam, and Cas just as carefully and put it in a different pocket.

Zoey then decided that they had to go to the play area where she upended one of the tubs of clay and shoved a good-sized chunk into his hands.

“I want Benny to bake these,” she said, already starting to shape her own chunk. “I’ll scream until he does and then you can keep it forever.”

Dean laughed. “I think if you just ask nicely he’ll do it,” he said. “You don’t have to scream I think.”

“You don’t know Benny,” Zoey said with a serious look.

Dean shrugged and continued his own sculpture. He decided on a bowl because that’s what he was best at and if it was going to get cooked, then he wanted to keep something good. He carefully shaped the edges, pulling them up and balancing them so the bowl wouldn’t fall in on itself. He pushed his thumbprints gently into the sides to make a pattern.

“I wanna help,” Zoey said, leaning over help own project to press her own thumbprints next to Dean’s. They were a lot smaller and less delicate. They were crushed into the sides of the clay to create a much choppier pattern than Dean’s.

“Are we making bowls?” Amber asked as she ambled over. She folded her legs and slid easily to the ground.

Before Dean could say anything, Amber was reaching over too, pressing her own fingertips into the clay. She worked carefully, much more delicate than Dean or Zoey. She worked in circles and swirls and actually picked out a real pattern. By the time she was done, Dean’s bowl had three different sections. One was his, his random fingerprints pushed in haphazardly. The second was Zoey’s, lopsided and slightly crushed under her strong grip. The last was Amber’s, delicately placed and meticulously designed. It was beautiful.

“I love it,” Dean said, holding it up so they could all see. He looked to Zoey. “Is yours done? We can go ask Benny if we can bake them.”

“Yes!” Zoey said. “I’m done!” She proudly held up her own creation. It was a vase. Or maybe a tall bowl. It sloped off to one side and had been squeezed too hard is some places. But Zoey looked so proud and it really was one of her best works.

Dean grinned. “Well, let’s go find Benny.”

Amber came with them as they left the play area with their creations clutched carefully. Dean kept a sharp eye on Zoey’s so that she didn’t accidentally crush it. Together, they found Benny helping Liam and Mason through some physical exercises in the facility’s gym area.

“Benny!” Zoey exclaimed. “Can we bake these? I want Dean to take it home! He has to take it home! Can we please please please please bake these?!” She held up her bowl, wide eyes begging like she was an omega.

“Take a rest, you two,” Benny said to Liam and Mason. “You did really well today.”

The boys gave Dean appreciative looks and nods and grins as they passed, walking off in the direction of the showers. Benny grabbed a water bottle from a bench then finally addressed Zoey, appraising her bowl with a critical eye. For a moment, Dean was scared he was going to say no and shoot down her idea. But then he smiled.

“Sure, why not,” he said. “You haven’t baked anything in a while and this is a special occasion.”

“Yay!!” Zoey cheered, jumping up and down excitedly.

“Careful, careful,” Dean said, scared she would crush it in the last moments.

“Alright, calm down,” Benny said with a laugh. “Let’s take them to Lenore and she can bake them for us, huh? That sound good?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Zoey chanted.

“Can I see what you made?” Benny asked, leading the way out of the room and starting down the hall. He carefully took Zoey’s bowl when she offered it to him and studied it intently. “My, my, that is one fine bowl,” he said appraisingly. “Yes, I believe a lot of love and hard work went into making this. It must be worth a _fortune_.”  

Zoey giggled at his words, beaming with pride and puffing out her chest until Dean was scared she was going to topple over. He and Amber shared a smile as they walked behind the two.

They left the bowls with Lenore at the front desk with Lenore who marveled over Zoey’s bowl with the same enthusiasm that Benny had had which only made Zoey beam even more wildly. Lenore then solemnly promised to bake the bowls with the utmost amount of care and would take care of them at all costs.

Zoey turned serious at those words, nodding her head and telling Lenore to “protect the bowls with her life” which only made Dean and Amber laughed behind their hands.

After that, it was lunch time. Amber, Dean, and Zoey all sat together at one end of the table, and with Amber’s dark glare, they were mostly left alone. It was pizza day which was one of Dean’s favorite days. There were always several huge pizzas laid out on the table already cut into wedges that everyone could fight over. Amber snagged them an entire pizza to themselves and when Carter tried to grab a slice, she scared him off with a dark glare.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Amber said, once they were safely left alone with their pizza. “It feels like you’ve been here forever.”

“I have to go back to my brother,” Dean said.

“You have a brother?” Amber said. She sounded surprised.

Dean wasn’t sure how to explain the whole situation so he just nodded. “We were purchased together.” It was only a slight lie.

Amber looked to Zoey who was very busy peeling pepperonis off her slice of pizza and tearing them into small pieces. Amber lowered her voice and leaned forward so they could speak more privately.

“I never knew my family,” she whispered. “But I think I had a sister. It’s only vague memories and Benny doesn’t like when we talk about our past with the others. I wasn’t there when she presented. But I hope that she wasn’t an alpha.”

Dean nodded. His heart had broken when, only a couple months after he had been at the camp, Sam had been dumped in the cell across from his. Something about stress, the guards said, caused him to present earlier than normal. Hell if Dean knew. He had fought and kicked and bit, protesting the guards every time they opened his cage in an effort to get to Sam’s side. He shuddered at the memories.

Amber nodded, in agreement, as if that nothing else could be said. “I can respect family,” she said, leaning back in her chair and returning her voice to normal volume. “Just make sure you keep your head on straight.”

“And you don’t do anything stupid,” Dean said.

Amber laughed. “There’s nothing stupid around here to do,” she said. “Except maybe learn how to bench press Carter.”

Dean laughed at that mental image. Before he could think of a retort, Benny was tapping his shoulder, having somehow snuck up on him.

“Cas is here early,” he said. “You ready to go?”

No. Honestly, Dean didn’t think he wanted to leave just yet. If only Sam could come stay here and then it would be perfect.

Zoey had stopped eating when Benny spoke, looking to Dean with wide eyes. Amber also lost her sense of joking, her grip tightening on the edge of the table.

“Yeah,” Dean said, forcing himself to not look too worried. “Huh, Zoey, you wanna come say hello to my brother?” He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to offer and he didn’t even look to Benny for approval. Zoey was already nodding enthusiastically, shoving her plate away and climbing to her feet.

Dean looked to Amber, silently begging her with his eyes, hoping she would take the hint and follow them as well. She did, climbing over the table and grabbing a slice of pizza to take with her. Benny gave her an exasperated look but didn’t say anything.

Zoey licked grease off of her fingers as they walked down the hall.

When Dean saw Sam, he couldn’t help but smile and rush to give him a hug. He had a flower patch over his scent glands so Dean couldn’t scent him. He satisfied himself with nuzzling under his jaw and then playfully punching his arm as he stepped back.

“You have a vest!” Sam said, holding him at arm’s length.

“And you’re still alive,” Dean said. “I was sure you and Cas were going to tear each other limb from limb.” The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he was actually saying. He snapped his gaze to Cas who had so far been holding himself back.

But Cas only shrugged and laughed. “We almost did,” he said jokingly. “But we survived. What about you?”

“I did good,” Dean said awkwardly. He didn’t get the chance to make anything worse as Zoey tugged on his pant leg, demanding his attention. “Oh, this is Zoey,” he said, bending down to scoop her up. “Zoey, this is Sam and Cas.”

“Are they your brothers?” she asked, sticking her fist into her mouth and chewing hard.

Dean gently reached up to pull it out, not wanting her to accidentally break the skin. “Yup,” he said, not really wanting to bother explaining it. “This is Sam and Cas.”

“Hi, Zoey,” Sam said. “I think I remember you from when I was here last time.”

Zoey nodded. “I remember you too,” she said.

“Hey, Zoey, I have an idea,” Benny said. “Why don’t you and Amber go find Lenore and get the bowls that you and Dean made today? We want to make sure he doesn’t leave without it.”

Zoey kicked excitedly against Dean’s hold until he set her down. “Oh! Yes!” she said. “I’ll go grab them!!” She ran out of the room, Amber hurrying after her. Benny laughed as the door banged shut, and then they were finally alone.

“I just wanted to go over a couple things with you and Dean,” Benny said to Cas.

“Of course,” Cas said, stepping closer.

“He needs to wear his vest every time you are out in public,” Benny said. “Without the vest, he is considered off-duty and the rules and laws don’t apply to him. Lenore has a little bit of paperwork for us to go through, and then you’ll have registration papers for him. If he isn’t wearing his vest and something does happen, having registration papers may help.”

Cas nodded. “Okay,” he said.

“It won’t help every time,” Benny warned. “It all depends on who you’re dealing with, but I’d advise you to carry the papers at all times.”

“I will,” Cas said. “How are . . . usage rules enforced?” His neck went pink, and he wouldn’t meet Dean’s gaze.

“It’s against the law to lay a hand on a medical alpha,” Benny said. “At least, in the UK it is. The government moves slower here, but there are some sub-articles in place right now that protect him if someone would try anything. The cases are touchy though. I would suggest keeping him modestly clothed. That, and the vest, should deter people enough.”

“Alright,” Cas said.

The door burst open just then, and Zoey bounced inside, clutching Dean’s bowl tightly to her chest. Amber was right behind her, carrying Zoey’s bowl.

“Here! Here!” Zoey said, practically running over to push the bowl into Dean’s hands. “Look, Lenore baked it so it got hard and now you can keep it forever!”

“Oh, why thank you,” Dean said. He was impressed she hadn’t broken it carrying it over.

“Show him! Show him!” Zoey said, pointing to Sam and Cas. “Show your brothers!”

Dean felt his neck go hot as he, under Zoey’s strict supervision, showed the bowl he had made to Sam and Cas. Zoey enthusiastically explained which sections were whose and how they had made them. Cas was more impressed than Sam was. Sam was more interested in clinging to Dean’s arm and not letting him go. Finally Benny pulled her away, interrupting her long-winded explanation about how to make a clay vase.

“We have some important work to do,” he said. “Why don’t you tell Dean goodbye and then go back to the play area, huh?”

Zoey seemed really reluctant to leave Dean’s side but at least she didn’t cry when Amber picked her up and carried her away. She gave Dean one last sad wave goodbye, and Dean was tempted to run after her and keep her with him, but then the door clicked shut and it was just him, Sam, Cas, and Benny. Almost as if on cue, Lenore stepped through the door, carrying a file and a small bag of items. She greeted them all with a smile and a couple words of hello before handing the file to Benny and leaving again.

“We can do this real quick,” Benny said, leading the way over to a table surrounded by sofas.

Sam plopped down next to Dean, snuggling up next to him perfectly. Cas chose the sofa next to them, across from where Benny sat which gave them plenty of room. Benny spread the papers across the table, pointing to the places Cas would have to sign.

“I can’t wait for you to come back home,” Sam whispered in Dean’s ear, not loud enough for anyone but Dean to hear him.

Dean grinned, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

“And the last step,” Benny said, pulling a thin, plastic box out of the bag. “We just need Dean’s prints here.”

He pointed to an empty box printed at the corner of the page they were currently on. He uncapped the box and set it down on the table in between them. He held out his hand to Dean, motioning to his hand.

“Here,” he said. “It’ll just take a second.”

Dean offered his hand without a fight, flinching a little when Benny took his wrist and turned his hand palm down, pressing it into the cool ink pad. He held it there for a moment before lifting Dean’s hand and pressing it down on the paper, flattening his palm and fingers carefully to keep the print as clean as possible. After a couple moments, he pulled Dean’s hand away, giving him a wet wipe to clean the extra ink away.

“And there we are,” he said, flapping the paper to dry the ink faster. He then gathered everything together, slipped a paperclip over the corner, and handed it over to Cas. “He is officially certified.”

Cas was beaming from ear to ear, and Dean figured that, if the flower patch wasn’t on his shoulder, he would probably smell as sweet as a candy shop.

“Thank you!” Cas said. “Thank you so much!”

“And with that,” Benny said. “You’re good to go. You can take the scent patches off as soon as you leave but not inside the house please. I’m scared Zoey will come snooping around.”

“Of course,” Cas said, jumping excitedly to his feet. “Um, Dean, are you ready to leave?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess,” Dean said, untangling himself from Sam enough so he could stand. Sam followed him so he could continue hanging onto his arm.

After saying goodbye to Benny one more time, Dean and Sam and Cas all headed out the door. As soon as his shoes hit the gravel, Dean reached up and scratched at the flower patch on his shoulder, finally getting his finger under a corner and pulling it off. As soon as it was gone, Sam was on him, and Dean couldn’t help but laugh as his brother scented him enthusiastically, licking and kissing up and down his neck.

“Hey, be careful!” he said. He picked at Sam’s own patch, trying to get it off so he could scent him back. But with all of Sam’s squirming, it was hard. “Hold still!”

He finally managed to tear it off and tugged Sam closer. His eyes watered at the gush of happiness and just _Sam_. That didn’t deter him though. He laughed and spun Sam around, amazed at how much he had been missing. Sure scenting didn’t matter that much at the facility. But Sam. Sam was a different matter altogether. Dean didn’t ever want to stop. He didn’t want to pull away.

A strange smell made him pause though. Maybe it was because he hadn’t smelled anyone for weeks, but for some reason the new scent caught his attention immediately, drawing his attention away from Sam. And Dean looked to Cas, surprised to find that the scent was coming from him.

Cas stood at the bottom of the steps, looking sheepishly at them as he shuffled his feet in the gravel. His flower patch was balled in his hand and his cheeks were slightly pink.

The scent was sweet and fresh. Sugary in a sense and at the same time something completely new. Like licorice candy. Dean had never smelled something like it before and he leaned away from Sam slightly, trying to get a better sense of it.

Cas went even redder under his gaze, looking down at his feet. “What?” he said, clearly embarrassed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Dean said. He wrinkled his nose.  

Whatever the scent was, it was pouring off of Cas in waves.

“I’m going to call a taxi,” Cas said, taking out his phone. Without waiting for a response, he hurried away from them, already dialing and putting the phone to his ear.

Dean went back to scenting Sam then, drinking in his happiness and letting it make his heart swell. He couldn’t shake the strange smell that had been coming from Cas though, something strange that he had never encounter before. But he didn’t want to let it unnerve him, so he did his best to forget it.

 


	28. Whatever

Cas wasn’t sure how much longer he could spend in the hotel room with Sam. He _paced_ when he was bored, stalking back and forth across the small room and picking at his collar. When it got really bad, he would tear through the duffel bag and find one of Dean’s shirts to sniff and curl around. Cas was too scared to yell at him from making a mess with the clothes. Cas curled up on his bed and stayed out of the way for the most part.

And Sam didn’t want to do _anything_. Cas suggested going back down to the pool but Sam only shook his head. Cas asked if he wanted to going out and get food someplace but Sam only rolled over and pulled the blankets over his head.

“He’ll come back,” he said, when Sam rattled the door handle when he circled that half of the room. He knew better than to actually try to get out, but Cas still kept it locked.

Sam glanced to him, eyes studying his face before he sighed and made his way over to his bed, flopping down. He tugged the blankets over himself, pulling them over his head until he was bundled completely up. He stared at Cas.

“Why can’t I go to the facility?” he asked. “Why can’t I learn what Dean’s learning?”

Cas wrung his hands together, staring anywhere but Sam’s face. “Because it’s weird to have two medical alphas,” he said. “I don’t want to draw attention to myself, and it looks suspicious, especially to people in the government that regulate alphas.”

Sam sniffed but didn’t look convinced. “Why can’t I just _be there_ while he learns?” he said. “To just be with him?”

“Because that would mess things up,” Cas said. “Benny said so,” he added when Sam didn’t look convinced even if it wasn’t the complete truth.

Sam sighed. “Well, then when does he come back?” he asked. “I want to see him again.”

“Yeah, so do I,” Cas muttered. “I’m not sure when he’s coming back. Benny said a couple weeks and it’s only been one and a half.”

Sam groaned, flopping over onto his side and rolling over and over until he fell off the bed with a crash. He didn’t seem fazed. He only laid of the ground, staring at the wall and not moving.

“Careful,” Cas said, scared he had hurt himself. He leaned up to he could look down off the bed at Sam. “Are you okay?”

“I want Dean,” was all Sam would say.

Cas sighed and slumped back on his own bed, staring up at the ceiling. “Yeah, me too.” With Dean, at least, Sam wasn’t pacing the room. Cas wasn’t sure how to deal with the other alpha.

In a sudden burst of movement, Sam tore his way out of his blanket cocoon, kicking away the mess with a soft growl. And then, before Cas could say anything, Sam was climbing onto his bed, looking meekly off to the side as he hunkered down at the foot.

“Can I—can I scent you?” he asked softly.

Cas stiffened at the request at first, scared of what Sam wanted, scared of letting him get close. But Sam looked so small and broken, curled up at the foot of the bed and not meeting his gaze. He was dressed in loose sweatpants and an even looser sweater which only made him seem tinier. Cas drew his knees up to his chest, clenching fistfuls of the sheets before gulping down his fear.

“O-okay,” he said, hating that his voice wavered.

Sam moved slowly, creeping up the side of the bed. He hesitated before laying a gentle hand on Cas’s knee. He continued to move slowly as he leaned in. Cas watched his eyes close as he breathed deeply. He was warm as he leaned in closer, his chin and nose finally pressing against Cas’s neck.

Cas let out the breath he had been holding as Sam molded into the space next to him. He seemed to melt into place, curving to fit into him perfectly. Even though Cas was clenched tighter than a wound spring, Sam was like a pool of melted butter.

He started purring, nearly startling Cas right off the bed. Cas never realized that alphas _could_ purr. He had never heard it before. He had never heard anyone talk about alphas purring. But here Sam was, gently scenting him like a newborn kit, purring like he was an _omega_.

“You smell good,” Sam whispered. “When you aren’t scared.”

Cas felt his cheeks go hot, and Sam huffed a laugh against his neck.

“You can relax,” Sam said. “My rut happened weeks ago. I just want to smell. Nothing else.”

Cas still wasn't sure if he could trust him. He tried focusing on the wall, just picking a spot and staring blankly. Sam’s words weren’t much of a reassurance even though that’s how Sam wanted it. Sam continued nuzzling him. Cas couldn’t relax enough to let go of his knees. Finally, Sam leaned away with a huff.

“What’s wrong?” Cas asked, scared he had done something.

“You smell nervous,” Sam said. “You don’t want me close.” He slunk back down to the floor, rummaging around in the mess until he found a shirt Dean had worn and then curling up in his blankets with it.

Cas wanted to deny it, to say that he didn’t mind and that he wanted Sam. But his smell didn’t lie. He sighed, disappointed that he hadn’t been able to help and, if anything, made things worse. He just wanted Dean to come back. Was that too much to ask?

Almost as if prompted by his thoughts, the room’s phone started ringing. Sam immediately jerked up, scrambling under the blankets of his bed with Dean’s shirt clutched tight. Cas sighed and scooted over until he could reach the receiver, scooping it up.

“Hello? Castiel Novak speaking,” he said.

“Hello, Mr. Novak,” an unfamiliar voice said. “This is the front desk of the hotel. We have an incoming call for you. Would you like us to patch it up to your room?”

“Of course,” Cas said, wondering who would be calling him at the hotel instead of his cell phone.

“Alright,” the voice said. “This will just be one moment, sir.”

A small tune played while Cas was on hold. Sam poked his head out from under the blankets, warily eyeing the phone in Cas’s hand. He wrinkled his nose and then disappeared under the blankets again, turning around before curling into on big lump.

“Hello?” a new, more familiar voice said suddenly. “Cas? Are you there?”

“Benny?” Cas said, not sure if he was recognizing the voice correctly or not.  

“Yes!” Benny said. “I’m so glad I got the right room! I was scared that the hotel wouldn’t let me call up to your room or something.”

“Is anything wrong?” Cas said, the worst possible scenarios immediately running through his head. Had something happened to Dean? Had something gone wrong?

“Certainly not,” Benny said. “I was actually calling with good news. I had Dean take a test and he’s almost ready to leave. I thought you would like to know.”

Cas breathed out a sigh of relief, slumping down on his bed. “That’s good,” he said. “That’s so good!”

“I’ll actually be ordering his vest soon,” Benny went on. “And once that arrives, I guess you just have to come and pick him up. I’m thinking it’ll be just a couple days.”

A couple days. A couple days before he could see Dean again. Cas was actually excited, eager to bring him back home. Anything to stop Sam from tearing the room completely apart.

“Thank you,” he said. “Really, thank you so much!"

Benny laughed on the other end of the line. “Of course. Dean has come a long way, but I think it’s time for him to go home.”

“You’ll call with the day he’ll be leaving for certain?” Cas said. He wanted that to be _today_. He wanted that to be _now_.

“Of course,” Benny said. “I hope Sam is okay with Dean being gone for so long. They seemed very attached to each other while they were here.”

Cas swallowed and looked to the bed where the Sam-shaped lump was still under the blankets. “Sam misses him,” he said. “Been a little restless. It’s hard to get him to focus on anything for too long.”

Benny only laughed through the phone. “Well, that’s a brother for you,” he said. “Tell him Dean will be back soon. He doesn’t have to worry too much longer.”

Cas nodded even though Benny couldn’t see him. “I will,” he said. “Thank you so much for the news.”

“Of course,” Benny said. “Dean is doing amazing. I guess I’ll see you soon if everything goes right. Bye.”

“Goodbye,” Cas said and hung up the phone. He turned to Sam’s bed. “Dean is going to be able to come home soon,” he said to the lump.

Almost immediately, Sam shifted around and poked his head out, hair sticking every which way. “Dean?” he said interestedly. “He’ll be coming back soon?”

Cas nodded. “Benny just called,” he said. “Apparently Dean’s studying very hard and that if everything goes alright, then we can come and pick him up.”

Sam immediately climbed out from under the blankets. “Can we go now?” he asked, glancing excitedly at the door. “Can we go get him now?”

Cas shook his head. “We have to wait until Benny calls again. That’s when we know Dean is ready to come home.”

Sam groaned, flopping back down on his bed and clutching a pillow to his stomach. “I want Dean,” he whined. “I want him.”

“It’s okay,” Cas said, not exactly sure how he should try comforting Sam, just knowing that he should. “We’ll see him soon.”

Sam huffed and groaned and rolled around. Cas was scared he was in pain for a moment and jumped to his feet, ready to call for help or try to do something himself. But Sam only sat up, running his fingers through his hair to straighten it. He gave Cas a strange look.

“Why are you worried?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

“You!” Cas said, unable to hold himself back any longer. “You—you just pace and pace and mope around and won’t sit still! I think you’re hurt, but I can’t tell! And you won’t say anything so I can’t tell! And you act weird!”

He sounded like a child, like a kit. Cas knew he did, which only made everything worse. And Sam was looking at him like he was a kit too, all gentle and careful and soft.

“You have to talk to me,” Cas said. “Okay? I can’t smell you and I don’t know what’s wrong, and the only way I can tell that is if you talk to me.”

Sam didn’t look deterred. “I know,” he said. “Dean told me.”

That only made Cas more frustrated. “Then _talk_ ,” he said. “Don’t just—roll around and act like you’re hurt. That scares me.”

“I didn’t know,” Sam said, cocking his head. “I’m not hurt,” he added after a moment. “In case you were wondering.”

Cas rolled his eyes. “Well, _now_ I’m not,” he said, kicking a pile of clothes that Sam had left on the floor as he made his way to the bathroom. “I’m taking a shower.”

He locked the door out of spite mostly and turned the water on too hot to be comfortable. He quickly stripped off his clothes, scared that they now smelled like Sam. He washed his hair twice with the shampoo that he had brought with him and then once more with the tiny bottles supplied by the hotel for free. The towels were soft and fluffy, and Cas secured one around his waist and draped one around his shoulders. He cracked the door open, checking for Sam first before stepping out.

To his surprise, all the clothes had been picked up and folded, albeit a little messily, and placed back in the suitcases. The two beds were made, the sheets and blankets pulled tight and tucked under the mattress. Sam himself was kneeling on the ground in front of the TV, his own clothes folded in front of him.

“What are you doing?!” Cas exclaimed when he realized that Sam was naked.

Sam didn’t look up at him. “I don’t want you angry,” he said plainly, his voice flat and emotionless. “I am showing my submission.”

Cas felt his cheeks and neck go hot. “I don’t want that,” he said. He hurried forward, taking the towel from his shoulders and draping it over Sam’s back. “Get up,” he said. “I don’t want you on the floor.”

Sam was up immediately, grabbing his shoulders and kissing him so hard the Cas squeaked around his lips. Sam’s tongue pressed for entrance as if he were eager to start swapping spit right away instead of going slowly.

He grabbed Cas’s wrist, dragging his hand down to his dick, wrapping his fingers around it. His knot was hard and warmer than everything else, and that’s where he settled Cas’s fingers.

“Don’t you want me, Omega?” Sam groaned, bucking his hips up against Cas’s touch. “Don’t you want me to make you feel so good?”

Cas recoiled or at least tried to. Sam’s grip was too firm. Cas planted one hand on his chest and pushed, trying to twist away. “Stop it,” he said, starting to panic. “Sam, stop it. I don’t want this.

“Aren’t you wet for me?” Sam pressed, his hazel eyes now open and begging. Like he _actually_ wanted this. “I could cry. Do you want me to cry for you, Omega?”

Cas slapped him.

It was the only thing he could think to do. Sam immediately let go of him, falling back and blinking in surprise as if out of every reaction, that was the last one he had been expecting.

“Stop it!” Cas yelled, scrambling back away from him. He tripped over one of the suitcases and fell hard, landing thankfully on his ass. “I don’t want that! I don’t like when you do that! Okay, Sam? I don’t want that!”

Immediately, Sam’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, thank god,” he said. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it on, pushing himself to his feet so he could pull on the underwear and pants. “I really didn’t want to have sex with you. I just thought that’s what you wanted.”

“Wanted?!” Cas said. He ripped open the suitcase he had tripped over and pulled out clothes of his own. He dressed as quickly as he could before warily eying Sam. “Why would you think I want anything like that?!”

Sam shrugged, climbing meekly onto his bed and folding himself up at the head. “Because alphas are taught to either roll over and take it or suck it up and give it. We’re taught that the best thing we can offer omegas is sex.”

“That’s what you’re _taught_?!” Cas said. He didn’t feel comfortable enough to sit down on his bed yet.

Sam nodded. “Why? Is that not what it is?” He pulled a face and lowered his voice, presumably mimicking a trainer or at least someone in his past. “A blowjob is the best form of being sorry.”

“That is _definitely_ not how it is!” Cas said. “At least, not with me. I don’t want anything like that, okay? Never do anything like that ever again.”

“Thank you,” Sam said, his own cheeks going a bit pink.

Cas took the long way around to get to his bed and carefully climbed in, pulling the blankets over his legs and up to his chest. They sat there is silence for several minutes, both of them just staring at the ground and not at each other.

“What else did you learn?” Cas finally asked.

“What do you mean?” Sam said.

“About omegas,” Cas clarified. “What else did you learn about omegas?”

“Other than having a hyped up sexdrive?” Sam said.

Cas frowned. “That’s not true,” he said.

Sam perked up, looking to him with more interest. “What about family?” he said. “Is it true you don’t develop long lasting relationships like alphas? You don’t bond?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Cas said with a shrug. “Gabe and I aren’t as close as you and Dean are. I’m not sure what it’s like for everyone else.”

“What about sex?” Sam said, scooting forward even more eagerly. “Do you fuck or like being fucked? The trainers prepared us for both but I never understood the need for both.”

“I don’t want anything,” Cas said firmly. “But Gabe.” He flushed hot, hating that he was discussing this with Sam. “I guess he’s gives and takes. I don’t know. He has weird tastes.”

Sam chewed his lower lip and nodded. “Omegas are weird,” he said.

“Yeah, and so are alphas,” Cas retorted.

Sam grinned at him. “At least we agree on one thing.”

It was a good point. Cas wasn’t really sure what to say to that. “And Dean,” he added stupidly. “We both want Dean back. So we can agree on that too.”

Sam gave him a sly look, as if he knew something that Cas didn’t. It made him uncomfortable. “You’re good,” he said and then narrowed his eyes “I think. But you’re better than most.”

Cas’s neck went hot, and he looked down at his hands. “Stop it,” he said but it wasn’t that forceful, and Sam just laughed which only made Cas flush harder. “I mean it!” he said, looking up at Sam.

Sam only shrugged, flopping back on his bed. “Whatever,” he said. “Sure.” He rolled over, dragging the blankets up to his shoulder and then huffing as he settled down. Before Cas could protest any further, Sam’s breathing leveled out, presumably asleep.

“Whatever,” Cas muttered. He rolled over in bed and pulled his own blankets up over his head.


	29. Give and Take

Gabe hadn’t been exactly . . . _angry_ that Cas had left so suddenly, but he had given him a rambling lecture about family and communication and loyalty when he had come back home. Cas had been ready to tear his hair out near the end, wanting to tell Gabe how important getting Dean certified was, but Gabe didn’t give him a chance to speak.

He didn’t get a chance to be angry about Dean’s new position either. He was too busy working. But he did promise that the rules still applied to him no matter what fancy vest he wore or whatever fake position he had. And breaking those rules would result in the same punishment as before. So Cas made sure to tiptoe around him and made sure Dean and Sam tiptoed too.

“Oh fuck,” Gabe spat one night at dinner.

Cas had been back home for around a week and this was still the first time Gabe had gotten to eat dinner with them. Most of the time, he wasn’t even home. If he was, he was in his office and only had one of the cleaners bring up a plate for him to eat. Of course, now that he was eating with them, Dean and Sam both had to sit on the floor.

They didn’t seem to mind too much. Dean wore his working vest nearly every day, even if they didn’t leave the house, and Sam wore sweaters and pants that Cas originally bought for Dean. They sat cross legged next to each other, sharing what was on each other’s plates and exchanging quiet words. But at Gabe’s exclamation, they both looked up, curious.

“What’s wrong?” Cas said.

Gabe shot to his feet, his hands going to his ass. At first, Cas thought it was something to do with his phone. Gabe often kept it in his back pocket. But his cheeks were already flushing a bright red, so Cas took a wild guess and figured it wasn’t his phone.

“My fucking heat,” Gabe said with a groan. “Oh, fuck, it wasn’t supposed to come until next week.” He shoved his plate away with a noise of disgust. “Great, now I’m gonna have to find some toy and I had so much work to do. I’ll have to call in sick tomorrow—” He trailed off, eyes drifting to Dean and Sam.

“Dean can’t,” Cas blurted immediately, gripping the edge of the table in a white knuckled grip, scared he would have to jump up and intervene.

“Yeah, but Sam doesn’t have a fancy degree,” Gabe said, his eyes already going a bit glassy. “Come on, Cas, I know I said he was yours but I just need a quick fuck. I need to go into work tomorrow.”

Cas looked to Sam. He was scenting the air eagerly, licking his lips as he eyed Gabe. He didn’t look scared of Gabe, not like Dean looked. Cas swallowed.

“I mean,” he started.

“Huh, big boy?” Gabe said, already walking around the table. “You wanna fuck into a real omega hole don’t you. Haven’t had anything in weeks.”

To Cas’s surprise, Sam whined and pushed himself to his feet, meeting Gabe halfway and grabbing his shirt. He pulled him close, scenting him roughly, dragging his tongue over Gabe’s scent glands.

“Oh, good boy,” Gabe encouraged and looked to Cas. “It’ll be quick, I swear,” he promised. “Just a really quick fuck and I’ll be good.” He winced and almost doubled over, Sam being the only thing holding him up. “Fucking cramps,” he groaned. “Come on, Sammy boy, I know you want this.”

Before Cas could say anything else, Gabe was leading Sam out of the room, mouthing at his jawline and crooning about what a good alpha he was and how he was going to make him feel so good. When Cas looked to Dean again, he was awkwardly picking at his food, staring down at his feet.

“Should I stop them?” Cas said. Although, he wasn’t sure if he even _could_ stop them now. He definitely wasn’t strong enough to pull Gabe away, let alone Sam.

Dean shrugged, his shoulders tense. “Sam wanted it,” he said softly. “It’s okay.”

Did he want it though? Cas looked to the door that Gabe and Sam had disappeared through. Sam hadn’t fought like Dean had when Gabe took him. Sam had gone willingly, even eagerly. Dean had never been that eager before. Cas shrugged it off, going back to his own plate of food.

They finished eating in silence and they left the table and dishes for the cleaners to clean up. Cas wandered back to his room, knowing that Dean was close behind. Once they were there, Cas unzipped Dean’s vest and allowed him to shrug it off. It wasn’t as important in private.

Cas sat down on his bed and Dean sat down on the blanket nest that he and Sam still used. Cas made a mental note that the blankets would probably have to be washed soon. Cas watched as Dean carefully arrange the blankets to his liking and settled down, pulling a blanket over his lap and leaning back on a pillow.

Cas felt his stomach flip as he watched him and immediately pressed a hand to his belly. He had been feeling weird lately. More nervous? Whenever Dean did simple things or made small gestures, Cas couldn’t help but notice. When Dean gave extra bites to eat to Sam during mealtime or when he straightened up Cas’s room and asked him where he wanted everything so that nothing could get lost. It started out subtly, and now Cas was looking to Dean for approval every time he did something himself.

He studied Dean’s face now, admiring the lines and shadows, the way his jaw curled in under his ears and the way the cupid’s bow of his lips curled up under his nose. His hair, not quite brown and not quite blonde, a little shaggy by now, in need of a haircut. Cas wanted to run his hands through it just so he could feel the way it carded between his fingers.  

Dean suddenly looked up at him, and Cas whipped his gaze away, feeling his cheeks go hot with embarrassment. Quickly, he looked for something to do, worrying at the sheets before snatching up his laptop and ripping it open. He opened a new window, pretending to type for a bit and feeling his neck burn as he knew Dean’s gaze was lingering on him.

“What’s wrong?” Dean said. “You smell . . . . . weird.”

Cas sat straight up, hand flying to his scent gland as if he could cover it and prevent Dean from smelling him. It was worth a try even if it was pointless. “What do you mean?” he said. “What is it? What do you mean ‘weird’?”

Dean wrinkled his nose and cocked his head. “Not weird exactly,” he said. “Just . . . . never smelled it before.”

Cas had his wrist to his nose immediately before realizing how stupid he looked. He pushed his computer off his lap and returned his hands to his lap. “What does it smell like?” he said, scared off what the answer might be. Something disgusting? Something weird? Could Dean _smell_ his thoughts?

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know, like licorice I guess,” he said. “Whatever, it’s gone now.”

Cas wasn’t sure if he could relax just yet. He looked to Dean and then back at his hands and back at Dean and then at his feet. Dean looked so small on the floor, curled up in his blankets. Cas wasn’t sure if he was supposed to invite him up on the bed or not. He tried to imagine Dean sitting on the bed next to him, Dean curled up on his side, lying next to Dean and letting their bodies swap heat like omegas did on cold nights.

“Wait,” Dean said, looking up again. “It’s back!”

Cas felt his neck go hot again. Dean _must_ be smelling his thoughts. He _must_ be. That was the _only_ reasonable explanation. Cas tried to think of all the medical reports and papers that he had read in the past couple weeks. Just how sensitive were alphas’ noses? The jargon was always so hard to understand, and now he wished he knew more.

He jumped when Dean planted his hands on the bed and pulled himself halfway up. His green eyes searched Cas’s face and he cocked an eyebrow. “Can I scent you?” he asked. “I just—I just wanna try?”

Cas swallowed thickly, tempted to draw his knees up to his chest and say no. Instead, he nodded his head, watching as Dean moved slowly and surely. He crawled up on the bed, pausing at Cas’s feet before continuing on, taking Cas’s hands and linking their fingers. He slotted himself next to Cas and ever so slowly, leaned down until his nose was pressed against Cas’s shoulder.

It was oddly intimate. No, not oddly. Specifically intimate. It was weird letting someone so close to him to let them smell him when he couldn’t smell back. Cas forced himself to relax, to lean back against his pillows, to squeeze Dean’s hand back.

Dean was just as warm as Sam had been, but somehow more gentle. The way he moved was delicate and soft, like he was scared of hurting Cas. Cas had seen the way he was with Sam, rough and heavy handed and all push and shove. He was the opposite now.

“It smells good,” Dean whispered.

Not like fear. Cas didn’t smell like fear. Dean wouldn’t leave him like Sam had. Cas was sighing in relief before he could stop himself, and Dean laughed.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I promise I’m not going to do anything.”

Cas believed him. He believed him with his entire heart.

They sat there for a long time, much longer than Cas intended. His clock was chiming the eight o'clock hour before he realized it and Dean's breath had leveled out sometime after seven o'clock. Cas wasn't even sure what he was supposed to do. Unmated alphas and omegas weren't supposed to cuddle like this! It was wrong! But at the same time, Cas wasn't sure if he wanted Dean as a mate.

A mate meant having to touch and give and take. It meant clothes off at night, skin to skin in bed, and while that wasn't really unnerving in and of itself, what was expected _after_ shirts came off made Cas want to curl in on himself. Dean was an alpha. Did he expect Cas to roll over like a good omega? Was that what he _wanted_? Cas couldn't give that to him. Cas didn't want that at all.

Dean grunted and shifted, presumably waking up. Sure enough, he shifted his grip on Cas's hand and spoke up.

“What's wrong?” he asked, confusion and sleep filling his voice.

“Nothing,” Cas said. He didn't pull away though, didn't feel uncomfortable enough for that.

Dean yawned and stretched, sitting up from Cas’s shoulder and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “You don’t smell like nothing’s wrong,” he mumbled. “You smell—” He sniffed idly. “I don’t know.” He yawned again.

“Are you hungry?” Cas said, trying to think of some way to change the conversation.

Dean nodded, and Cas used that as his reason to push away. He slid off the bed and stretched for himself. Staying in place for so long had left him a little stiff. He glanced back discreetly, watching Dean slide to his feet as well. When he reached over his head to stretch his arms, his sweater rode up, giving Cas a glimpse of his stomach and hips. Cas quickly looked away.

“We can go find something,” he suggested.

Dean nodded and waited for Cas to walk out the door before following a couple steps behind him. They walked to the kitchen in silence, not talking about what had happened in the bedroom. The rest of the house was quiet, it seemed. All the cleaners had gone home probably, if it was this late. Cas wasn’t sure where Sam and Gabe were and honestly, he wasn’t really sure he _wanted_ to know.

There were leftovers from dinner in the fridge, so Cas heated those up and split it between Dean and himself. They ate in silence too, Dean too busy scarfing down what was on his plate and Cas didn’t want to interrupt him. Dean washed the dishes when they were done, quickly rinsing and drying them off. Cas didn’t want to go back to his bedroom just yet so he sat down on the counter, watching Dean work.

“Are you worried about Sam and Gabe?” Cas asked.

Dean shrugged. “I think Sam can take care of himself,” he said slowly, as if he were picking his words carefully. “And if Gabe does try something, Sam will let me know.”

What would Dean do if Gabe did do something? Cas wasn’t sure if he wanted an answer to that question. He watched the way Dean’s shoulders flexed under his sweater. While the muscles from the camps were slowly fading, the near constant cleaning seemed to keep him in some sort of shape. What could he do against Gabe? If Dean really wanted to, could he actually hurt someone? Cas swallowed and decided not to ask.

“I was thinking about going out to eat,” he said instead. “We haven’t gone anywhere since you got certified and I thought eating out would be a nice way to start. With your medical training I mean.”

“Would Sam come along?” Dean asked. He was starting to wipe down the counter, having finished all the dishes.

Cas’s stomach twisted with guilt. “I thought it could just be us,” he said. “I mean, I was thinking about going tomorrow, and if Sam and Gabe are too busy than they wouldn’t be able to come with.”

Dean didn’t seem to react, at least not outwardly. He finished wiping down the counter and returned to washcloth to the sink. He then stood idly off to the side, not meeting Cas’s gaze. “That’s okay then,” he said.

Cas swallowed but made himself nod. He felt guilty and nervous and he wasn’t completely sure why. “It’ll be fun,” he said, more as a reassurance to himself that anything.

He really did want it to be fun. He wanted something that just he and Dean could do together, without anyone else interfering. It’s not that he didn’t like Sam or Gabe, but Cas wanted Dean to himself for a little bit. Not even an entire day, just a couple hours maybe.  

Did that make Cas selfish? Selfish enough to take Dean away from his family? Selfish enough to keep Dean to himself? Selfish enough to want Dean and selfish enough to not want to give Dean anything in return?

Cas didn’t like the way his stomach coiled at the thought, making him want to throw up the food he had just eaten. He watched the way Dean moved and how he fidgeted in place, waiting to move, waiting for some sort of signal from Cas. And when Cas moved so did Dean, and they walked out of the kitchen with their steps out of sync. Dean still walked a couple steps behind Cas and didn’t say anything. And if Cas were honest, he felt selfish just for walking in front and leading the way.

 


	30. Hot, Heavy, and Horribly Intimate

Dean had been dreading going out to the restaurant to be honest. While he didn’t doubt that Cas would pick a great place with great food, just the thought of having to sit down in the middle of a crowded area and have everyone stare at him was enough to put him on edge. But he forced himself to relax so that Cas wouldn’t catch onto his unease.

Cas seemed especially eager to go out. If Dean had watched the clock correctly, Cas had spent a half hour just picking out an outfit and another half hour in the bathroom fixing his hair, even though when he walked out, Dean swore up and down it looked the exact same as before.

“What do you want to wear?” Cas now asked him, spreading out every piece of clothing that had been bought for Dean.

“I don’t know,” Dean said. He wanted one of the bulkier sweaters but that would be uncomfortable with his working vest. He settled on a thinner one that wasn’t as form fitting as the others. “This one I guess.”

“Hurry and get ready,” Cas said, pushing him towards the bathroom.

Dean wasn’t exactly sure what he was supposed to do in the bathroom, but he took off his old sweater and pulled on the new one. He looked in the mirror, slightly shocked to see his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he had actually seen himself. He touched his cheeks, marveling over how they weren’t sunken, in fact plumped out.

Had his hair always been that long or had it grown? Dean tugged at his bangs, wondering if he should shower or if he even had enough time for that. Most days, Cas would let him shower before bed, so it wasn’t like he was particularly dirty. Dean eyed the lines of products that Cas had used, from squeeze bottles to lotion containers to spray bottles.

“Get ready.” What did that mean exactly? If Dean didn’t need to shower, then what was he supposed to do to get ready? Hesitantly, he picked up one bottle with a pump handle on top and looked over the label.

“Omega Pomp!” the label read. “For extra Fluff and Softness! Hair that you will love!”

Dean cocked his head but figured it was worth a shot. He set the bottle down and pressed the pump down, squirting out a glob of slightly orange foam. He squished it hesitantly between his fingers and realized he had no idea how to apply it.

With no other choice really, Dean lathered the foam over his hands and ran them through his hair. It was slimy at first and he had to really work it in order to massage it into his skin and hair. When it was finally gone, he rinsed his hands in the sink, running them through his hair one last time to wet it. It wasn’t necessarily fluffier, and Dean squinted, trying to spot the difference.

Why did omegas use this stuff anyway? It didn't even seem to do anything. Dean shrugged it off and washed his hands again. He brushed his teeth quickly and then pushed the bathroom door open, walking back into Cas’s bedroom.

He stopped short when he saw Cas though.

He was dressed in a suit that Dean had never seen before. It was a deep navy blue with a crisp white shirt underneath. His shoes were shined brightly and his hair combed up. He looked significantly better than Dean did, and he probably used the Omega Pomp right.

He must’ve been staring too long because Cas’s scent turned to embarrassment and he shuffled his feet, his neck and cheeks going a bit pink.

“It’s too much, isn’t it?” he said.

“No!” Dean quickly amended. “It’s not that! You just look good! Really good!”

Cas’s scent immediately changed to the new, licorice-like scent that still confused Dean, and he looked up hopefully. “You think so?” he said.

Dean nodded. “Yeah,” he said and shrugged. “I guess you clean up good.”

He had meant it at a joke to break the mood, but Cas was beaming excitedly. “Really?” he said. “I mean, you look good too. I like it. Um, the reservation I made is for lunch and I figured we could come home after that?”

It came out as a question, but Dean figured that it wasn’t optional. Cas had the bad habit of getting nervous too often. So Dean nodded and stepped forward, tipping his chin up so that Cas could clip his leash on.

Dean hadn’t seen Sam at all that morning yet and as he and Cas walked the halls to the front door, he didn’t see him now. He was tempted to ask to go and look for him. If he was honest with himself, he was a little worried even though Sam had jokingly remarked before about Gabe and how he would look bent over. Dean had quickly shut down that conversation. They were out the door before Dean could think about it further.

There was a driver and a vehicle like always, and he and Cas climbed into the back. Cas gave the beta directions and then they were off. Cas took Dean’s leash off and rolled it up, tucking it into a side pocket in the door.

“I forgot you don’t need to wear it out in public,” he said sheepishly. “But I did remember your registration papers. So we’ll be good.”

The restaurant they ended up at was borderline fancy but not quite over the edge. While there was a waiter standing at the door waiting to take their information and direct them to their table, the uniform was only dress pants and a polo shirt with the company’s logo. All the waiters and waitresses were either omegas or betas, but there were alphas sitting at other tables. Not that many, but still.

“My name is Justin, and I’ll be serving you today,” their waiter said. “Can I get you anything to drink right away?” He was a young, clean cut omega with a quick smile, smelling easy and at home, even giving Dean a nod when he saw his vest.

“Two glasses of wine,” Cas said without waiting. “Chardonnay 1996, please. And a glass of water.”

Dean blinked in surprise. He didn’t really understand what Cas had just ordered but he had spoken without flinching and didn’t even hesitate. Justin just nodded and scribbled something quickly on his small notepad. He gave them both a beaming smile.

“I’ll get that for you right away,” he said and passed them two menus. “If you want to look over our different options, you can decide what you will be wanting today.”

“Of course,” Cas said confidently, giving him a smile.

Justin nodded, tucking his notepad into his pocket as he turned and walked away.

“He was an omega by the way,” Dean said quietly, not sure if he was supposed to be helping Cas or not.

Cas only gave him a nervous smile and picked up his menu. “You don’t have to help me,” he said. “Today you can just relax. I’ll be fine.”

Dean fidgeted, playing with his own menu. What was he supposed to do then? Just _eat_? Just sit and eat and make conversation? That didn’t sound like something an alpha did. It sounded like something an omega would do. It didn’t seem right.

Justin returned with a tub of ice and a bottle propped in on its side, two empty glasses with impossibly tapered stems, and another glass filled with ice water. He set it all down on the table, producing some sort of screw and lever that he flourished and set down in the middle of the table.

“Have we made a decision yet, gentlemen?” he asked.

“I’ll have the pasta,” Cas said, pointing to a selection on his menu so that Justin could jot it down. “With the crab marinade, please.”

They were ordering _now_?! Dean scrambled with his menu. Was Cas going to choose something for him? Or was he supposed to be looking for himself? But no, Justin and Cas now both looked to him, and he was left to scan his menu quickly, trying to look for the best option. He wasn’t even sure what the etiquette of ordering food at a place this fancy was. He scanned his options and then randomly pointed at one, hoping that was all he needed to do.

“Roast chicken garnished with a side of scallions, ginger, and lime,” Justin said, looking to Cas before writing the option down. He then smiled at both of them. “We'll get that out as soon as possible.”

He whisked away their menus and the tray and was gone in a moment, leaving Dean to their awkward conversation. Cas busied himself with the glasses and strange tool. He twisted it into the cork plugging the neck of the bottle and worked it back and forth until it popped out. He poured a full glass for himself and a half glass for Dean, topping it off from water from the other glass. He then passed it over, raising his own glass in a toast.

He moved so elegantly, the way his fingers curled delicately around the stem and the way he smiled easily at Dean across the table. Dean gripped the step of his own glass, awkward and clunky. He did his best to raise it up next to Cas's within spilling. It sloshed dangerously.

Cas smiled around his hand and then took a sip of his drink. Dean took that as a sign that he could drink for himself. He took a swallow from his own glass. The drink was tart, slightly burning but nothing too bad. Dean wasn’t expecting it like that, and he coughed a little, struggling to swallow without spitting. That only seemed to make Cas laugh more. His scent was sweet and sugary, that same one that Dean couldn’t identify.

“Do you like it?” Cas asked.

“It’s . . . . interesting,” Dean said. He had never tasted anything like it. It made his stomach buzz wonderfully so he took another drink. “I think I like it.” He gave Cas a smile.

Cas beamed. “I’m glad,” he said. His scent shifted from happy to nervous and then back to licorice. They sat in silence for a couple moments, and then Cas spoke up again. “How has your day been so far?” he asked.

Dean raised an eyebrow. “Um, I cleaned little,” he said, not really sure what he was supposed to say. Cas had been _there_. They had spent the entire day together so far. “It was good,” he settled on. “I mean, good so far.”

“Yeah?” Cas said. “That’s good.”

Dean chewed his lip. “How was your day?” he asked, not really wanting the conversation to fall flat.

“It’s been good,” Cas said eagerly. “I’m glad we got to do this.” He gestured to the table between them. “This, like, being together. Getting a chance to talk. Privately.”  

“It is nice,” Dean agreed, because it _was_. The more people that Cas was around, the more bumbling and awkward he got, it seemed. One-on-one, he was all smiles and happy smells and eager conversation. With just Dean, he stepped up, seemingly not scared of the people around them, not caring who or what they were.

“So,” Cas said. “Do you have any hobbies?”

Dean wrinkled his nose at the question. “Um, not really?” he said, again not sure how he was supposed to answer. “I don’t end up with a lot of free time to do anything.” He shrugged. “It’s whatever.”

Cas had started gulping down his wine after the question, smelling like he knew he had asked the wrong thing. His cheeks were pink by the time he finished his glass. He quickly refilled it, setting it off to the side of his place setting.

“Um, what did you do at the facility?” he asked. “With Benny and all the kids?”

“I helped a girl named Zoey,” Dean said, glad for a subject he could _actually_ talk about. “She had something wrong with her hands and arms and she had a hard time feeling things. I made sure she didn’t hurt herself and was able to do different things.”

“Oh?” Cas said, looking much more relieved with this answer.

“Yeah,” Dean went on. “Sometimes she didn’t realize how much of a mess she was making or she would have to grip things hard before she realized what she was holding. We colored a lot together and there were these tubs of clay and playdough that we played with.”

“The bowl and pictures you brought home,” Cas said. “I saw those. They looked really nice. She made the bowl?”

Dean shook his head. “No, I made that. But she pressed her fingers into it so I wouldn’t forget her.” He couldn’t help but smile at the memory. “And so did this other girl, Amber.”

Cas nodded, back to smiling. “That sounds so nice,” he said.

“It was,” Dean said without thinking and then realized that sounded bad. “I mean, it was fun for a couple weeks. Zoey got to be quite the handful and sometimes dealing with everyone else was hard to do.”

“But it wasn’t too bad?” Cas said worriedly.

Dean quickly shoot his head. “No, no,” he said. “It was fine, fun even. I’m glad I was able to learn everything I did.”

Before their awkward conversation could flop around any further, Justin was back with a large platter balanced in his arms. He placed a domed plate down in front of Cas and another one in front of Dean.

“I hope you enjoy, gentlemen,” he said, whisking the tops off the plates to release a billow of steam. He disappeared in a flurry of scents to leave them all alone.

Dean was almost drooling over his dish. Artfully arranged cuts of seasoned chicken sat on his plate, framed by caramelized vegetables that shone with oil and butter. The sauce still bubbled slightly, as if it had just been taken out of the oven, and the steam carrying the smell of spices with it continued to waft off the chicken.

“Go ahead and dig in,” Cas urged, picking up his own utensils and cutting off a bit of his own dish. His bowl of bowtie pasta noodles was swimming in ladle-fuls of a thick red sauce with generous cubes of pale pink crab sprinkled in. It smelled just as good as Dean’s own dish.

It took Dean a moment to figure out how to hold both a knife and fork and then use them together, but he eventually did and managed to get his first bite into his mouth without causing too much of a mess. He moaned without thinking before getting himself under control. It was _that_ good. The chicken was tender and juicy, the seasonings absolutely perfect. In his next bite, he grabbed a forkful of vegetables, actually savoring the crunch and salty taste.

“You like it?” Cas said. He was smiling at Dean’s reactions but smelling a bit worried.

“This is amazing!” Dean said, cutting himself off another bite. “I’ve never had anything this good!”

Cas laughed lightly, spearing a cube of crab and a couple noodles on his own fork. “Do you want to try mine?” he asked, his scent going a little nervous.

Dean knew vaguely what a crab was but he never imagined he would get to eat it or even what it would taste like. He nodded eagerly, leaning across the table and opening his mouth. Cas gently gave him the bite, as if careful not to stab him with the prongs of the fork.

The crab was soft and sweet and melted apart in his mouth. The noodles were tender but not overcooked, seasoned somehow so that even without the sauce they would’ve tasted good. Dean chewed slowly, savoring the bite as much as possible.

“That’s so amazing!” he said. “I think yours might be even better than mine.”

“Do you want it?” Cas suddenly offered, pushing his plate closer to Dean, smelling a bit panicky.

“Oh, no,” Dean said, quickly pushing it back. “I’m good with my own. I just—it’s really good. They’re both good. I like them both.”

“We could share?” Cas said, like he wanted to please Dean at any cost.

“Alright,” Dean said. “But you have to have some of my chicken then.” He cut off a reasonable piece for Cas, making sure he got enough sauce and speared a couple vegetables. He held the fork out to Cas, expecting Cas to take it from him.

Instead, Cas leaned forward in his seat, closing his eyes and opening his mouth, clearly waiting for Dean to feed him the bite. Awkwardly, because Dean felt like the entire restaurant was watching them, he gently placed the chicken on Cas’s tongue. Cas closed his mouth around the bite, and Dean quickly pulled his fork away. Cas chewed, opening his eyes, smell changing to that strange sugary sweet as he chewed.

“It’s good,” he said. “But I think yours is better than mine.” His tone was teasing, so Dean gave him an equally teasing grin. Cas’s scent practically swam with happiness and licorice.

They exchanged more bites, eating off of their own plates too. Dean sipped more of the tart wine, and when his glass got more than half empty, Cas mixed more water and wine for him. When their plates were finally scraped clean, Justin returned, all smiles again, asking if they were planning on ordering any dessert.

“No, we’ll be good,” Cas said. He easily slipped a credit card out of his wallet, passing it over to Justin to manage as if this were easy for him. Like he belonged.

Justin took his card graciously. “Of course, sir,” he said. “I’ll have your receipt to you shortly.” And then he was gone, taking their plates with them, leaving them with an empty table to finish off the last cups of their wine.

“I was thinking we could get ice cream,” Cas said, fidgeting with the stem of his glass. “After this, I mean. And then we can definitely go home and you can be with Sam.”

“It’s okay,” Dean said, wanting to reassure Cas. He didn’t have to amend himself every time he made plans. He didn’t have to act like Dean hated it here. “Ice cream sounds good.”

Justin returned with the receipt and a pen for Cas to sign one copy. Then Justin escorted them back to the front door, thanking them for coming and hoping that they would come back soon. Cas smiled and thanked him for his service and assured him that they would be back soon.

The driver they had arrived with was already sitting out of the street with the car running, as if he had been sitting there the entire time. Cas and Dean climbed into the back seat, and Cas gave the driver a new address. It was a short drive, no time for conversation, and then they were leaving the busy streets, taking a couple backroads and finally ending up in the middle of a small neighborhood.

The car pulled to a stop at a small park with only a merry-go-round, a two sets of swings, and a slide. A couple picnic benches sat off to one side under the shade of oak trees. On the side across from them was a small building with a red and white stripe roof and slowly spinning barber shop sign. The side of the building was almost like an open bar, and the person behind it was scooping two vanilla cones for a pair of eagerly-waiting kids.

The entire thing was like out of some storybook. Idyllic, like it shouldn’t exist, but at the same time, there it was. Dean wasn’t even aware that he was staring until Cas cleared his throat.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Dean said, eagerly climbing out of the car.

The air was much more clear than in the city as if the park wasn’t perfect enough already. Dean breathed deeply through his nose, stretching his arms over his head. He was suddenly taken in a memory of himself and Sam playing at a park like this when they were kits, unpresented, their mom watching from a bench as they chased each other around the jungle gym and screeched in delight when an older kid could spin the merry-go-round faster than they could. They would tumble around the playground and when they got too dizzy, finally collapsing in the grass.

“Um, Dean,” Cas said, pulling him out of the memory and back to the present. “Do you want to share?”

Dean blinked a couple times, orientating himself and almost forgetting where he was for a moment. “Oh,” he said, finally focusing on Cas. “I mean, yeah, that’s fine. Sorry.”

Cas scent was nervous and worried but as soon as Dean gave him an encouraging smile, it changed to happiness and he led the way over to the ice cream stand.

“One vanilla double scoop waffle cone,” he told the omega behind the counter. “With, um, sprinkles. Please.”

“Of course,” the omega said with a shiny retail smile. He pulled a waffle cone out of a bin, carefully wrapping a napkin around its base before grabbing the ice cream scoop and digging into the tub of vanilla. He squashed the ice cream into the cone, piling it high before grabbing a tub of rainbow sprinkles and dunking it ice-cream-first into it, giving it a generous coating. He handed it to Cas, accepting the bills he offered and then slipping him his change. “Enjoy,” he said as Dean and Cas walked away.

“Here,” Cas said, offering the cone to Dean. “You can have the first lick.”

Dean wasn’t sure how he was supposed to take the cone from Cas, let alone hold it, so he wrapped his hand around Cas’s and brought it to his mouth. He dragged his tongue halfway around the cone, getting a good mouthful of both ice cream and sprinkles. He let Cas pull the cone back, savoring the sweet creamy taste in his mouth, letting it melt into a soup before crunching the sprinkles and swallowing.

“Good?” Cas said, waiting for Dean to nod before taking a lick for himself.

They sat down on one of the picnic benches, sitting on the top with their feet on the seats, watching the sky and the sun slowly sink even though it wasn’t quite close to evening. They exchanged licks, going every other until they got down to the cone. Cas showed Dean how to take bites out of the side of it without breaking it completely in half. Even then they ended up licking a lot of melted ice cream off their fingers, laughing at each other as they worked their way down to the very tip of the cone.

“Here,” Cas said, offering the last bite to Dean.

“You sure?” Dean said.

Cas nodded, so Dean popped it into his mouth, crunching it, relishing the last bit of melty, gooey, sweet goodness. Even after the cone was gone, they continued sitting there, just staring out over the park and the neighborhood and the sky. The two kids that had been here when they arrived were gone now, so they were all alone except for the omega running the ice cream stand but even he looked like he would be closing up shop soon.

“I had fun,” Cas said, being the one to break the silence. He certainly smelled like it, all mellowed out, chocolate happiness, sweet and relaxed. He was like a bundle of everything good.

“So did I,” Dean said honestly.

Sitting with Cas, sitting like this, it was comfortable. Cas looked at him like he wasn’t something scary, and Cas didn’t seem so scary himself. When he smelled like he was going to melt into Dean’s lap at any given moment, it was pretty hard to be scared of him. Dean leaned back on his hands, stretching his feet out and appreciating the fresh air.

When a hand settled over his own, he looked to Cas in surprise, about to open his mouth to ask what that was about.

But Cas was staring steadfastly at the sky, cheeks slightly pink, smelling like a mix of nerves and that licorice-like, sweet strange scent. He was stiff, not as relaxed, and he wouldn’t look at Dean. He also didn’t move his hand from where it sat on top of Dean’s.

So Dean shut his mouth and didn’t question it. He looked back up at the sky and breathed in Cas’s scent. He let himself take in the moment without thinking about anyone but him and Cas. The ice cream and chicken and crab sat in his stomach, making him full and content. He let himself enjoy it.

 


	31. Stupid and Hopeless

Cas’s heart was in his throat by the time they arrived back home. He thought he had handled the evening well. He didn’t have much experience with dating. He had _experience_ alright, but lap dances and awkward strip dancing provided by strip alphas definitely didn’t count as dating. Plus, that had always been prompted by Gabe. It was always Gabe’s money paid to the establishment and Cas never really felt the need, scenting the alphas and letting them grind against him just so that they could say they did something.

The day with Dean was so much more with that. They had had _dinner_. They had shared _food_. They had shared a fucking _ice cream cone_. Just the memory of it made Cas’s stomach flip and his heart swell. Of course, the moment they got home, Cas let Dean wander off on his own, not wanting to force more one-on-one time than Dean could stand.

Cas had retreated back to his own room, undressing from his formal suit and into sweatpants and a comfy t-shirt. He felt too restless to sit on his bed so paced the room, overthinking every detail of the date.

Had it even been a date? Was it a date if Dean had no choice? Cas wasn’t sure if he should be calling it a date. Had sharing the table been awkward? Had people stared at them? Cas didn’t know. He had been unable to take his eyes off Dean. Every moment had felt intimate and deep and horribly private, like no one else should’ve seen what they were doing.

Cas covered his face as he felt his cheeks starting to burn in embarrassment. Oh no, what had he done?! Had he ruined everything? How awkward had he been? He should find Dean and apologize. Yeah, that sounded good. He should apologize to Dean and then go _bury_ himself in the backyard. That was the best, most logical plan of action.

Cas groaned and flopped on his bed, burying his face in his pillows. No, he couldn’t do that. He was being stupid. Dean said he had had fun. And Dean wouldn’t lie, would he? No, he wouldn’t.

Cas smiled to himself. They had held hands.

Quickly, he admonished himself. Why was he acting like such a middle school kit?! Getting all blushy and flustered over holding hands. And technically, technically, _technically_ , they hadn’t held hands. Cas had put his hand on top of Dean’s and that was it. That. Was. It.

Cas smiled to himself.

_They had held hands._

Quickly he sat up and slid out of bed, hurrying into the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, trying to snap himself out of it. He stared at himself in the mirror. His hair was messed up a little; sitting out at the park had ruined it a little. And his cheeks were a bright pink. Cas splashed on more cold water. That helped only a bit.

Cas left the bathroom, returning to his bed. This time, he pulled his laptop out, opening a new tab and search engine. He felt stupid as he typed. He described what he was feeling the best he could: upset stomach, flushed face and chest, irregular heartbeat. He hit enter.

The first website that popped up was something called OmMD, and it looked like pretty professional. A couple click-bait-y articles popped up off to one side and the font was a little outrageous. All the same, a couple profiles popped up and their pictures looked like they were professional doctors. Cas scrolled down to the first answer, eager to see what was wrong with him.

Cardiac cancer?!

Cas almost screamed. He was _dying_?! With cancer in his heart?! He had to go to the hospital immediately!

Cas quickly clicked back to the results, doing his best to keep his breathing calm. He should get a second opinion, yeah, just because one doctor said he had cancer didn’t mean he actually did. He needed to find another doctor and see what that doctor said.

He scrolled down the page, looking for another site that looked just as official as OmMD had looked. He clicked to the next page of results, coming across what looked like a chat room with people who had the exact same symptoms he did. He clicked on it, eager to see what this person had to say.

“I feel like I’m going crazy!!” the top post said. The username was Kenny1worth. “I’m 22, female, beta, happily married to an omega. I feel weird around her a lot, kind of like I’m sick but every trip to the doctor gave us nothing. We both have regular jobs but still manage to keep it, well, good in the bedroom. But she does complain that I don’t seem to be as into it as her, and I will admit that I could live without having to ‘get my rocks off.’ She also complains that I smell weird at random times. Is something wrong with me?! I’m getting desperate!!”

There were other posts just like hers, and Cas felt himself connecting to a lot of the people.

“Beta coworker says I smell weird whenever I’m around him!!” another post, ComeAtme_Br0, read. “Nineteen, male, omega. Smell always seems to come with an upset stomach and a fast heartbeat. I love working around him though. Is this some sort of disorder?! I can’t afford a doctor and parents have no idea.”

“Thirty-two, female, omega,” Sunny-Lil-Day had posted. “This is going to sound really weird, please don’t judge, you guys. Neighbor has an alpha, looks around late twenties or early thirties, male. He works outside in the garden a lot and whenever I’m out there in my own yard he always scents me, smelling really confused, but I think he really does like me. And I admit he’s super cute and I would like to talk with him but that’s it!! My heat came but whenever I thought about him I just wasn’t feeling it. I can’t approach his owner because that’s just awkward and I can’t talk to him because that’s also awkward. I swear I only want to talk! He seems like he would be really sweet. What do I do??”

“Help, help, help!!” the next post down read. ThrowAwayTeeears was the username. “Had sex. Hated it. Mate left me. Not sure what I’m supposed to do now. Hate my life. What’s the point of being an omega if I don’t like sex?”

This. All of this. This was everything that Cas felt and more. It was every fear he had ever felt and some fears he hadn’t felt yet but had been lurking in the back of his mind rolled up into post after post after post. People scared of what was happening. People confused over what they were feeling. People crying out. People getting frustrated with themselves. People breaking down and people yelling out.

The posts were formatted so that other people could comment advice or at least leave condolences. There didn't seem to be any joking, and every post seemed deadly serious. After scrolling through a couple different comment threads, Cas noticed that there was one person that commented on every post no matter what, offering advice and links to different resources no matter what the situation.

The username was TheModerator and they had a green check mark next to their name. Their tone seemed nice and everyone agreed with everything they said. Their comments had dozens if not hundreds of responses, each asking for advice or just an encouraging word for every single different scenario.

Cas wanted to talk to them, whoever they were.

He should make a post.

Cas immediately pulled back. Woah! No! No way! That is not what he wanted to do! But at the same time, with an obscure username, no one would know who he was. As if to mock him, he suddenly noticed the ‘create an account’ button. He hovered his mouse over it, warring with himself mentally. A couple moments later, he caved and clicked.

The website didn’t even ask for an email. All he had to do is create a username and a password. Cas floundered for moment, wondering what his name could be without making it obvious who he was. If he didn’t make a username based off of himself, who could he base it off of?

He hovered his fingers over the keyboard, trying to think of something. Gabe? Sam? Dean? Could he just do random letters and words and hope for the best? He looked around the room, hoping for some sort of inspiration from his surroundings. He skimmed over his shelf and books, over his desk and out the window. He thought of everything outside, to the flowers and the birds, trying to think of something good. He thought of Dean and everything about Dean and how he looked. Without meaning to, he began typing, startled at what he had eventually settled on.

AppleEyes.

It was practically perfect.

Cas felt his cheeks go hot and he immediately deleted it. And then he retyped it. And then he deleted it again. And then he re-retyped it, just staring at it on the screen, watching his cursor blink like it was waiting for him to gain enough courage to actually click ‘create’ just as much as he was waiting.

Nobody would know it was him. It wasn’t inspired by himself, and Cas was pretty sure that no one else noticed just how green Dean’s eyes really were. He was probably the only one who noticed things like that. Who else was looking that closely? Cas felt stupid and hopeless.

He clicked ‘create’ anyway.

And just like that he had a profile. He didn’t even have to put up a photo or a short biography. He just _had_ it. He could even make a post immediately if he wanted to. Right off to one side was the box that he had to type in. Or he could continue scrolling through the posts that were already made.

With not much else left to lose and an identity and screen to hide behind, Cas started a new text box and started typing.

“I guess I’m just repeating everything that everyone has already said here. Personal alpha complains of strange smell that I don’t know about. Upset stomach, irregular heartbeat, and flushed face accompany scent most often times that I know of. Am I sick? I do have a medical history if that has anything to do with it.”

Cas really didn’t want to mention that he couldn’t smell. That was something he could be identified with and he _didn’t_ want to be identified. He figured that was enough. Other people had written less than that and gotten responses, so it wasn’t like he needed to go overboard. With the confidence provided by anonymity, he hit enter, wondering how long it would take to get some sort of response.

As it turned out, he didn’t have to wait long. After a couple minutes, his laptop chimed and when he checked the website, he noticed he had a response on his post from TheModerator. Eagerly, he clicked to see what they had said.

“Hello, AppleEyes!” the reply read.  “I noticed you’re new to the community and wanted to say hello first of all. Please feel welcome to hang around and meet some people. We are all very friendly. Second of all, you are _not_ sick. Many people are experiencing what you are. You aren’t broken or sick or weird. I would encourage you to research the term asexual and see if it fits you. If you have any further questions, my inbox is always open. :)”

Asexual. Cas cocked his head, but before he could open another tab and do just as TheModerator suggested, the laptop chimed again, and another response to his post popped up. This time, it was from someone called DaBad-bitch.

“It’s called LOVE!!!! Don’t feel weird!! I suggest a book called _How to Fall in Love_ by Katey Oliver. She gets a little soppy at times but it’s really helpful. Hope your life is still good!”

Love? Cas rolled his eyes. He knew what love was and feeling like he was going to throw up every time Dean looked at him wasn’t love. Stupid. Before he could type those thoughts out, even more responses were pouring in, faster than he could reply.

“Agreeing with DaBad-bitch, it’s love. It’s confusing because you probably don’t want to have sex with the alpha, right? Love and sex don’t mean the same thing. :) you’re okay and doing great,” from F-h-lowers.

“I feel the same way, strange scent and everything! It’s gotten to the point where my alpha is constantly checking up on me to see if I’m okay and that only makes it worse!! I don’t have any answers, just wanted to let you know I’m in a similar boat :(,” from SoongBird.

“Not sure if you’re religious but read _Love Not Lust_ by Rev. Brett Leonard. It’s super helpful even if you don’t believe in a higher power. Hope that at least points you in the right direction. Wishing you luck!” from I-sawUrMum.

“Guys look! Someone else is learning how to love!” from IStatetheobviouss.

Cas wasn’t even sure where to start. He wasn’t in love! He wanted to yell that at all these people. Love was something nice and sweet and didn’t make you feel like you were burning from the inside out. Love was something between mates and mates only. Love meant sex, and Cas _wasn’t_ in love. He slammed his laptop shut, shoving it away from him.

He wondered where Dean was at the moment. With Sam? Cuddling somewhere? Cleaning?

Cas pushed himself up, sliding off his bed. He should find out where Dean was. That sounded like a good idea. He shoved his laptop up under his pillows just so that he wouldn’t have to look at it and wandered out of his room.

He idly wondered where Gabe was too. Had he gone back to work today? If so, where was Sam? Cas hadn’t seen either of them yet. He meandered through the halls, not really heading anywhere specific. He kept his head cocked, keeping an ear out, but he didn’t hear anything either. Until the sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he picked up the pace, rounding a corner to see Dean wandering down the hall too, jiggling each handle of every locked door. He looked to Cas, eyes sad and lost.

“Can’t find Sam,” he muttered.

“I haven’t seen him either,” Cas said, feeling his heart kick up a notch. Dean looked like a lost puppy without his brother. “Maybe he’s still with Gabe?”

Dean pouted but let his hand drop from the handle of the currently locked door he was trying to open. He huffed. “Fine,” he said. “But what am I supposed to do?”

_Stay with me! Talk with me more! Sit next to me and don’t tell me how weird I smell!_ Cas bit his lip, holding back everything that he wanted to stay. He had to be _cool_. He had to be _subtle_.

“You could just rest in the bedroom,” he said quietly. “Until Gabe and Sam are done with whatever they’re doing.” He had his fingers mentally crossed, hoping desperately that Dean would agree. Cas almost groaned. God, how helpless was he?

“Sure,” Dean said with a shrug.

Cas was nearly giddy but didn’t let it show on his face. He just led the way back to his bedroom, quickly clearing off his bed, hoping that Dean would join him rather than settle for the grungy nest on the floor that still had to be cleaned up. His heart nearly flipped with Dean sat down on the foot of the bed. Cas quickly settled down in his pillows, wincing when his laptop dug into his butt. He pulled it out, nearly throwing it onto his desk to get it out of the way.

Dean wouldn’t look at his face though as he crawled up next to Cas. He curled up, stretching and yawning before settling down with a huff. He closed his eyes, and a few moments later, his breathing evened out.

Cas smiled to himself, going so far as to rest his hand on Dean’s shoulder and rub him. And then that felt awkward, like he was petting him, so Cas stopped that. He folded his hands in his lap and watched Dean sleep. And then _that_ felt awkward, so Cas shifted until he was laying down too and closed his eyes. But he wasn’t quite tired enough for sleep yet.

So he lay there, back to back with Dean, just listening to him breathe, listening to him sleep. He stared at nothing, letting his mind wander instead. It was nice. Intimate, but nice. Cas liked it.

If Dean was comfortable enough to fall asleep next to him, then Cas figured that was improvement. It was progress. Cas liked progress. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes. He could probably fall asleep like this.

And he did.

 


	32. Complications

Dean was scared that Cas was sick or worse, going crazy. Okay, so yeah, eating out had been fun and had made Dean just as happy as Cas had smelled. And he had had a great time. But did that mean that Cas now had to cling to him like a kit?

Dean had woken up before Cas the next morning and was glad he had. They had been _cuddling_ on the bed. While they had fallen asleep back to back, somehow they had ended up face to face at some point in the night. Dean had scrambled away, careful not to wake him up but still trying to get away as fast as possible. He had retreated quickly to the bathroom, turning on the shower and just sitting on the toilet.

How was he supposed to feel? Dean wasn’t quite sure himself. Instead of thinking about it, he quickly stripped off his clothes and stepped under the water, scrubbing his body with soap and his hair with shampoo. He finished quickly, because he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be in the shower when Cas woke up. But when he stepped out of the bathroom, Cas was already getting dressed on the other side of the room.

“Hey,” Dean said, not wanting to startle him.

But Cas only turned, scent blooming into that same licorice sugar. That alone did strange things to Dean. Nothing bad, but nothing he had felt before. It made his heart clench and the desire to wrap himself around Cas and protect him leapt up from his chest. The scent always made Cas seem smaller than he actually was, more vulnerable.

And Dean knew for a fact that Cas could take care of himself for the most part. There was no need for Dean to step in ever. It was odd that this one scent made him so fiercely protective. Dean shook his head to get rid of the feeling.

“Hey,” Cas said. “Ready for breakfast?”

“Yeah,” Dean said.

The halls were still empty and quiet this early in the morning. The cleaners would be coming later, but Dean scented nervously for Sam. He didn’t like being away from him for so long. The kitchen was just as empty as the halls and there was still no scent of Sam. Dean resigned himself with eating breakfast alone with Cas.

Or, they were alone, for a couple minutes, until Gabe burst into the kitchen. His face was flushed, his hair sticking out every which way, and wearing a sweater much too big for him. An alphic sweater, Dean realized, and it hung one of his shoulders, showing off an inflamed half-moon of a bite. And he absolutely _stunk_ of Sam.

“I’m late,” he said as he shoved past Cas to the fridge. Apparently he had enough time to give Dean a glare as he jabbed a finger at the ground.

Dean sunk quickly and quietly to his knees without argument, keeping his eyes on the ground. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with his bowl of cereal, so he set it carefully in front of him and folded his hands in his lap.

“Luci said he was stopping by tonight,” he said. “He saw our credit bill or something, I don’t know. Wanted to see what was going on or whatever, check up on us. I want things to be _perfect_.” He glared at Dean. “And why isn’t he eating his alpha food?”

Dean gulped.

“What’s that on your shoulder?” Cas said instead.

Gabe’s hand snapped up, and the moment his fingers brushed the wound, he hissed. “Oh shiiiit,” he said. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh _shit_.”

Sam wandered in at that moment, mid-yawn and dressed only in sweatpants. His hair was just as messy as Gabe’s, he smelled more omega than alpha, and his own shoulder was a mess of purple hickies, thin scratches, and one bright red bite-mark. He perked up when he saw Gabe.

“Oh,” Gabe said when his eyes landed on Sam. “Shit.”

Cas squinted his eyes. “Did you guys . . . . . mate?” he asked, his own cheeks going slightly pink.

Dean felt his hackles rise.

But Sam didn’t seem too worried. He ambled over to Gabe, an easy smile splitting his face. He moved to scent Gabe, but Gabe shoved him back, slapping him across the face.

Dean almost leapt to his feet with a snarl.

“Stay away from me!” Gabe said. “Don’t fucking touch me!”

Sam wilted under his words, hunching down against the blows, no longer looking so comfortable.

“I need a bandage,” Gabe said, abandoning breakfast and rummaging around the drawers. “I need to go to _work_ and not look like some _alpha slut._ I need to make sure Luci doesn’t rip this place apart when he sees what we’re dealing with.” He glared at Sam. “I’ll talk to you after I come home.” And then he hurried out of the room, muttering something about bandages in the bathroom and how much he smelled like Sam.

As soon as Dean couldn’t smell him, well, smell him not on Sam, he jumped to his feet, rushing to Sam’s side. He leaned in to scent him, to make sure he was okay, and gagged when all he got was Gabe’s scent.

“You stink!” he said, breathing purposefully through his mouth.

“And you smell like shampoo.” It was a lame retort but Sam was trying his best. Dean let it slide.

Dean lowered his voice, trying to shield Sam from Cas’s eyes, stepping between them. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Sam shrugged, brushing him off. He wouldn’t look Dean in the eye. “I’m fine,” he said, trying to move passed Dean to the fridge.

Dean didn’t like it. He was on edge. He didn’t like the way Sam smelled so much like Gabe and he didn’t like the scratches and bruises on Sam’s neck and shoulder. He wanted to gather him in a hug to make sure he was okay, but the stench of Gabe warded him off. He warily hovered behind Sam, waiting for a moment when he could approach.

“I mean it!” Sam snapped when he glanced over and noticed Dean. “I’m fine!” He bared his teeth, tensing up his shoulders. He balled his hands into his fists and brought them up to chest height, and from his seat of the counter, Cas tensed up too.

Dean didn’t dare challenge him. Instead, he meekly stepped down, baring his scent glands and almost sinking to his knees. Sam seemed to sense his mistake because he immediately pulled himself back too.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know why I did that.”

Dean huffed through his nose, narrowing his eyes at Sam. He was about to open his mouth and retort that Sam certainly _did know_ why he had just done what he had done and the reason was called _Gabe_ when Cas cleared his throat.

“Both of you, _sit_ ,” he said.

Dean had to give him credit, his voice barely wavered even when Sam turned his burning gaze onto him. He did swallow loudly though, fidgeting in his seat.

“I said sit,” he repeated. “Please.”

Sam wrinkled his nose but reluctantly sunk to his knees. Dean followed suit so that they were both kneeling side by side. Cas squirmed uncomfortably, his scent going a bit sour.

“I meant on the chairs,” he muttered but slid down off the counter.

He inched his way around the outside of the room until he got to a small drawer under the sink. He eased it open, as if scared of disturbing Dean and Sam, and rummaged around before pulling out a tube of cream that smelled sharply of medicine and a box of band aids. He turned back towards Sam.

“I need to clean you up,” he said. “So, uh, don’t hurt me.”

Sam rolled his eyes and hung his head, reaching up to gather his hair away from the base of his neck so that Cas had easy access to the bites and scratches. Cas slowly approaching and uncapped the cream, squeezing a bit onto his fingers, lathering it up for a moment.

“This might sting,” he said quietly.

The moment his hands touched the bonding mark, Sam hissed sharply through his teeth but otherwise didn’t react. Cas’s scent spiked with fear but he didn’t jump back. He worked the medicine in as gently as he could before unwrapping a couple different band aids and plastering them the best he could over the worst sections. He then quickly retreated back to the counter, stuffing the items back in the drawer they came from.

“I can’t believe this,” he muttered. “Oh man! I can’t believe this!”

He turned back to Dean and Sam, running his fingers through his hair. He smelled nervous, and Dean squinted, noticing that his hands were shaking. Without thinking, Dean was on his feet, gently taking Cas by the arm so that he wouldn’t collapse.

“Easy,” he was saying before he realized what he was doing. He led Cas over to the nearest chair, easing him into it. “I think you need to breathe.”

“Gabe never wanted to bond,” Cas muttered, not seeming to realize that Dean was touching him so freely. “Gabe _never_ wanted to bond.” He looked to Sam and then shook his head with a shudder. “How the _fuck_ did you bond?!”

Sam shrugged, staring down at his hands. He still hadn’t moved from his place on the floor. “He bit first,” he muttered as if that were an excuse. “Couldn’t keep his damn mouth off me.”

Cas shuddered at his words. “And Lucifer’s coming?! If he sees Gabe and you bonded, he’ll go ballistic. And you, Dean? He’s going to _hate_ you.”

Dean gave his arm a squeeze of support. “Sam, get out,” he said, keeping his voice low but letting the threat be very, very clear.

Sam narrowed his eyes at him, scent going sharp. He wanted to challenge Dean that much was obvious. As a mated alpha, he was supposed to be higher up on the hierarchy. Dean was challenging that hierarchy, and Sam clearly wanted to put him in his place. Dean wanted to bare his teeth but didn’t want to scare Cas.

Thankfully, Sam backed down. He didn’t bare his neck, just stormed out of the room, letting out a low growl as he passed Dean. At least he didn’t try to do anything else. Dean relaxed as soon as he was out of the room.

And then he realized he was still holding onto Cas’s arm and quickly let go, stepping away. He ducked his head, fidgeting nervously. He wanted something to do, something to busy himself with. So he scooped his cereal bowl off the ground and moved to the sink, dumping out its contents and begins to scrub probably harder than necessary. He stared down at his work, not daring to look up at Cas.

“This household is a mess.”

Dean flinched when Cas spoke, swallowed, and didn’t say anything.

“We are a fucking mess,” Cas continued. “Me, who can’t smell. Gabe, who doesn’t want to be mated and now is. Sam, who . . . . I don’t know, doesn’t know when to stop. Luci is coming, and you—” His scent changed from worried-nervous to licorice. “Never mind,” he mumbled.

Dean wasn’t sure if that was good or not. Luci or Lucifer, whoever that was, certainly didn’t sound very good. Dean kept washing the dishes.

“Would you ever want to leave?” Cas asked softly. “Like, get away from here? Ever?”

Dean frowned, forgetting himself for a second and throwing the washcloth into the sink harder than necessary. It slapped against the bottom of the sink with a wet squelch. “All the time,” he said and then snapped his mouth shut.

He could feel Cas’s eyes boring into the back of his neck, and he didn’t dare turn around. Slowly, he started washing the dishes again, moving deliberately and carefully.

“I need to go,” Cas said suddenly. His chair scrapped back across the floor, and Dean didn’t need to turn and look to know that he left the kitchen with his head hung and his scent sour.

Dean sighed when he was finally alone, slumping his shoulders in defeat. This couldn’t be good. None of this could be good. Gabe was angry with him. Sam was angry at him. This strange person, Luci, was coming. And now Cas . . . . maybe wasn’t exactly angry but definitely not happy. Dean turned around, leaning against the counter. He scented the room over, holding back his disgust.

The room stunk predominantly of Sam and Gabe and a horrible mix of the two. There were lingering scents of the cleaning betas but those were hours old and held nothing interesting. And then there was Cas, a confusing mingle of nervous and scared with fading hints of that new scent. Dean sighed, dropping his head into his hands.

What was he supposed to do? This wasn’t anything that he was prepared to handle. He sighed and let his hands drop.

Go after Sam or go after Cas. That was his decision now.

Sam was probably, _hopefully_ , in the shower, scrubbing that disgusting scent off his skin and getting himself clean. Cas was . . . . probably sulking somewhere, probably on his laptop doing who knows what. Sam was probably still angry at him. Cas was probably scared. Sam probably still smelled like Gabe and hurt, and Dean didn’t like that. It made his skin crawl.

Dean decided that he would try to find Cas.

He left the kitchen, scenting carefully for Cas. He followed the trail down the hall, wrinkling his nose as he had to pick his way through Sam’s and Gabe’s as well. He eventually found Cas in a sitting room, one that was out of the way and barely used. He was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself and gesturing wildly. Like he was having a debate with himself. Dean paused in the doorway, off to the side and peeking around the corner, not wanting to walk in right away.

As it turned out, Cas _was_ having a debate with himself, a rather heated one too by the sound of it.

“So do you leave or do you stay?” he was muttering to himself. “Do you get the fuck out of here before Lucifer comes and maybe explodes or do you bide your time?”

He sighed and paused with his back to the door, still not noticing Dean. Then he resumed pacing, even faster than ever.

“And Dean’s also part of this equation,” he said. “You can’t upset Dean. You can’t make Dean sad. You would be sad if Dean was sad. You want to make Dean _happy_ , so _think_. What would make Dean happy? He wants Sam. You can’t take Sam away from him.”

Cas heaved a sigh, running his hands through his hair. That made it spike up, messing it up and making him look exhausted and disheveled. He collapsed on the couch, planting his elbows on his knees and dropping his head to his hands. He groaned loudly.

“Can’t hurt Dean,” he muttered. “I don’t . . . . want to. What would Dean do? He would never hurt anyone. What would Dean do?”

Dean swallowed, wondering what was tearing Cas apart. He felt a little awkward, like this was a personal conversation that he wasn’t supposed to be hearing. But he didn’t leave. And maybe that was his first mistake.

“Dean would,” Cas said. “Dean would . . . . Dean would . . . . he would—” He paused, fingers fisted in his hair as he stared down at the floor. “Fuck, Dean would know what to do.”

Dean leaned back against the door, staring up at the ceiling. He kept his breathing calm, not wanting to reveal himself just yet. He _didn’t_ know what to do. What was Cas thinking?! He was just an alpha. He didn’t know what he was supposed to be doing half of the time. Dean wanted to burst into the room and tell Cas just that, but no. That would mean he would have to explain what he was doing just sitting outside of the door. And he certainly didn’t want to have _that_ sort of conversation. So he stayed where he was and didn’t move, listening as Cas continued to talk to himself.

“Why is Dean so perfect?” he was muttering now. “He always knows what to do. I wish I could ask him—shit, I can’t do that. He would look at me like I’m an idiot!”  

The was a long pause, and Cas’s scent changed from milk-sour worry to licorice and he groaned again.

“What is wrong with me?!” he said. “What. Is. Wrong. With. Me. Why do I have to be like this?”

Dean stiffened, wondering if he should rush in and try to help. He wasn't completely sure what was wrong with Cas but maybe he could do something? Wasn't he _supposed_ to do something? He was still debating with himself when Cas continued talking.

“Just . . . . just wait a bit,” he told himself. “See what happens. If you rush things, then that will make everything worse for sure.”

Dean swallowed. He guessed that was it. Cas had figured out what to do on his own apparently. Quickly, he pushed off the wall and hurried away, not wanting to be caught lurking outside the doorway if Cas happened to come out.

He decided he should try and find Sam instead. Maybe get him to take a shower and then maybe they could talk and cuddle and discuss what was going on. Dean wanted to talk with someone who wasn’t confusing. And while Cas certainly was starting to fall into that category, Dean wasn’t so sure what to think now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the person who wanted angst: this is just the beginning 
> 
> For everyone else: sorry updates have been slowly down, it's near the end of the semester and I have a lot of projects due so I'm a bit busy. but I'll do my best to continue churning out chapters ^-^


	33. Hoh Boy

“What is this?!” Cas demanded, staring stunned at the alpha that had walked in after Gabe when he had come home from work.

It was so obviously an alpha that Cas didn’t have to smell him. The poor man—man?!—was wearing wedged heels, making him tower over both Gabe and Sam. He had fishnet leggings and tight jean shorts that let his ass hang out. Cas wrinkled his nose at the bulge in his crotch. He looked purposefully away and decided to focus on his blouse which, while lacey and low cut, was decently modest.

“What do you mean?” Gabe said, shrugging off his coat and kicking off his shoes.

“I mean,” Cas said. “Where did he come from?!” He didn’t really want to discuss that, but he had been walking passed the front door when Gabe had burst in and the question had just flew out of his mouth before he could think.

“He's a Pay-Per-Night alpha,” Gabe said with a shrug. “It's called rebound sex, Cas, everyone does it.”

The man was indeed wearing a thick, stiff collar with a logo burned into its surface, along with a full face of gaudy makeup. He was eyeing Cas nervously but trying not to let it show.

“Rebound sex?” Cas repeated.

Gabe sighed, as if he really didn’t want to be explaining this. “I’m not going to settle down for whatever alpha decides to bite me first,” he said. “I’m gonna show Sam that I’m not just gonna roll over and take it.”

Cas wrinkled his nose, not really seeing the logic behind it but definitely not wanting to discuss it any further. So he only shrugged.

“Plus,” Gabe said as Cas turned to walk away. “He’s only a hundred dollars if I return him before ten o’clock tomorrow. Luci won’t care. He’ll probably have a Pay-Per alpha himself.”

“Whatever,” Cas said. He hurried away before Gabe could say anything else.

This was the kind of nonsense he wanted to get away from. He wanted to take Dean and _leave_. He could take enough money from some account that his family had and buy a small house. Even renting a cheap apartment would be better than this place. Plus, with Dean registered as a medical alpha, nothing could stop Cas from signing lease papers with his own name.

But Dean. Cas didn’t want to hurt Dean and that held him back. Dean loved Sam. Cas couldn’t take both Dean _and_ Sam. If anything would look suspicious on the paperwork, it would be two alphas registered under his name as a disabled omega. If anything would stop him from signing papers, it would be having both Dean and Sam with him. And Cas didn’t want to tear them apart.

He had already argued with himself out loud over this exact topic. He had paced until his feet were sore and talked over every point he could think of. He wanted to ask Dean what he thought, but that would mean talking about his plans of leaving and Cas _didn’t_ want to talk about that just yet. So he was stuck. Stuck here with Sam and stuck with Dean and stuck with constantly-horny Gabe. And now Lucifer it seemed.

Cas was planning on retreating to his room for the night but ran into Sam on the way there. At least his shoulder bites and scratches were looking a lot better, less inflamed and some were even starting to fade.

“Who’s that alpha?” Sam demanded right away, nose flaring as he scented Cas. His eyes glinted with sharp ferocity, and Cas immediately backed away, not wanting any sort of confrontation.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Gabe brought him home. Some pay-per-night thing. He’ll be gone by tomorrow. Leave them alone.”

Sam scowled, curling his lips back and clenching his hands into fists. “My mate,” he growled under his breath.

Cas stiffened. “Don’t,” he said. “Hey, Sam, leave it. Don’t bother them.”

Cas was pinned against the wall before his could blink, Sam’s fists curled in his shirt and holding him up on his tiptoes. Cas let out a shaky breath, his face inches from Sam’s as the alpha leered over him, teeth still barred.

“My. Mate,” Sam growled slowly.

Before Cas could say anything, Sam was dropping him to the floor and storming off. Cas scrambled to his feet, his mind racing a mile a minute. He had adrenaline, just nothing to do with it. And before he could think, he was running after Sam, terrified of what would happen. He barely got to the end of the hall before he heard the crashes and yowls.

When he got to the lobby, Gabe was on the floor, laying at Sam’s feet as the man and Sam stared each other down, faces inches from each other. All their muscles were wound tense and their hands were in fists. They growled at each other from deep in their chests, daring the other to back down or make the first move.

“What the fuck, Sam?!” Gabe demanded, but even he knew better than to try and move. Anything could set the two alphas off.

“Sam, please stop!” Cas begged.

Sam didn’t even seem to react. Neither did the other alpha. Their growling only got louder and more pitched, cracking into inhuman yowls almost. Sam had a couple inches on the man so he was able to stare him down. The man only hunched his shoulders, slinking off to the side. They moved in slow motion, it seemed, never wanting to set the other off, as if they knew whoever threw the first punch would be the one most in trouble.  

“Cas,” Gabe hissed between clenched teeth. He mimed clapping his hands together the best he could. “Loud. Noise.”

Cas cocked his head before realizing what Gabe wanted. He looked around for something he could use and grabbed the vase of fake flowers that sat on a random side table that had no purpose but looking pretty. Cas raised it above his head.

“Hey!” he shouted and slammed it down.

It shattered into hundreds of pieces and splinters, the dust and smaller pieces immediately forming a mushroom cloud. Cas covered his mouth and nose and ducked away, not wanting to breathe anything in.

Sam and the other man reacted just as fast. They both ducked at the noise and shout, and Gabe used that confusion to crawl away. The whole fight would’ve ended there too, because Sam and the man both backed down, forgetting about each other for a second. But then, out of the corner of his eye, Cas saw a blur of movement and then heard an animalistic snarl of rage, and then the man was tackled to the floor.

Dean was on the man like a dog on meat, snarling and scratching and biting in a whirlwind of clothes and spit and hair. The man was screaming now, not expecting this new challenge, and immediately submitting, flopping limply beneath Dean’s weight. That didn’t seem to satisfy Dean. He tore at the man’s clothes, ripping them off and clawing at the skin underneath. He had his teeth latched onto the man’s throat, pressing hard enough to draw pinpricks of blood.

“Hey! Hey!” Gabe was shouting, now able to scramble to his feet. He moved like he was going to hit Dean over the head and Cas was about to yell at him to stop when the man’s collar beeped loudly and started releasing a cloud of gas.

Dean immediately recoiled, coughing and gagging, and the man rolled in the opposite direction, also coughing. In a moment, Dean was slumped on the ground, drooling unconscious same as the man. Sam was backpedaling away from the quickly dissipating cloud of gas.

“What the ever-loving fuck?” Gabe said, staring dumbfounded at the two unconscious alphas and at Sam who was quickly realizing how big of a mistake he made and was cowering against the wall with his arms wrapped around his head. Gabe’s phone chimed and he pulled it out of his pocket, glaring down at the screen. “The collar of our rental alpha has been activated,” he read out loud. “Please stay where you are while we dispatch a qualified worker to your location.”

“What are they going to do?” Cas asked. Dean was wearing his working vest but he had just attacked another alpha. What did that mean for him?

“I don’t know,” Gabe said. He had turned his glare onto Sam, who was purposefully looking at the floor.

“Are they going to hurt Dean?” Cas said. He wanted to go get the registration papers. He wanted to be ready if anyone tried to take him away.

“I don’t know,” Gabe said angrily. “Sam’s the one who started it all!”

Sam hunched his shoulders even more at the mention of his name, letting his hair fall in front of his face. He was shaking, shivering, and from the way Gabe covered his nose and grimaced, Cas could guess that he stunk of fear. And suddenly Cas didn’t want him to get blamed for everything that had happened.

“You’re the one who brought the strange alpha,” he said, ignoring his heart pounding in his chest and the way his own hands were shaking. He had never contradicted anything Gabe had ever said before. But now, Cas was bucking everything off. “Of course Sam is going to react like that! The alpha probably smelled weird!”

“That’s not how scents work,” Gabe said with a roll of his eyes. His tone was condescending which only stoked the fire burning in Cas’s stomach.

“It’s how _mating_ works!” he said. “I’m not stupid, okay?! You bit Sam first, and that’s the only reason he bit back! You can’t just turn your back on him after that!”

Now Gabe was glaring at him, but Cas couldn’t stop. Not now. He was in way too deep.

“And Dean was just reacting to his brother getting hurt,” he said. “You can’t get mad at Dean for that. They’re _family_.”

Gabe opened his mouth to retort when there was a thud against the front door and the lock disengaged. The doors opened in slow motion it seemed, and Cas felt a ball of dread settle in his stomach, as Lucifer—Luci as he demanded everyone call him—strode in, as confident as ever. He wore a black leather jacket, perfectly worn blue jeans, and a crisp white t-shirt. His lips curled in disgust when he saw Dean and the man passed out on the floor, and then he slid his gaze to Sam.

“My, my, my,” he said. “While I did expect things to be shitty when I arrived, I didn’t expect them to be _this_ shitty.”

Sam was already groveling on the floor, face pressed into the tile as he submitted to this new omega. He was panting through his mouth, legs splayed wide as he offered his ass up. Cas didn’t like seeing Sam like that.

And before anyone could say anything else, two men burst into the house, shoving their way past Lucifer. They wore grey-blue coveralls, yellow triangle patches sewn on the breasts and sleeves. They carried poles with metal hoops sticking out the end, and right behind them was a third woman rushed in behind them, carrying a large leather bag.

One man immediately looped the unconscious man, tightening it until it was snug. The other looped Dean.

“We’ve got two alphas down,” the woman said into a radio hooked on her shoulder. “One is Dimmy, the other is unknown.”

“He’s mine!” Cas said, jumping forward. “He’s my medical alpha. You aren’t allowed to detain him and we aren’t allowed to be separated. I have papers!”

The man currently crouched over Dean looked over his vest and then to the woman who nodded. He unhooked Dean and went to help the other man with—Cas guessed Dimmy? Was that the unconscious man’s name? He decided that yes, it must be.

“Are you okay?” the woman said, hurrying to Gabe’s side. “Did Dimmy attack?” Then she noticed Sam and stiffened. “Boys,” she said.

The two men looked up, following her gaze to a terrified Sam. Cas couldn’t do anything as one of the men looped Sam, dragging him roughly to his knees. He could only cross his fingers and hope that Sam didn’t fight too much.

“It was our alpha who started it,” Cas said before Gabe could say anything. “It wasn’t—Dimmy’s fault. Sam and Gabe were mated, and Sam was only challenging Dimmy.” He was wracking his brain for any other explanation that would shift the blame away from everyone.

“Dimmy was fine,” Gabe conceded, accepting the ice packet from the woman and setting it gently near the back of his head. “I didn’t expect Sam to challenge him.”

“Cap him,” the woman said, addressing the man still crouched over Dimmy. She then looked to Cas. “Is it alright if we cap yours too?”

Cas didn’t know what capping was, and he was going to say no. But he watched as the man with Dimmy pulled out neon green . . . . retainers it looked like? He slipped them gently into Dimmy’s mouth, pressing them over his teeth until it molded into place. It was unobtrusive, and Dimmy’s mouth could fall closed as the man withdrew his fingers.

“Just to stop them from biting,” the woman explained.

Cas nodded, watching as the woman pulled out a matching bright red pair, giving Sam a glare that had him dropping his mouth obediently open. The woman pressed them over Sam’s teeth quickly before pulling her hands away. Sam licked his teeth like he had peanut butter stuck on them but other than that, he looked fine.

Cas rushed to Dean’s side, checking his breathing and pulse. He seemed okay, like he was just asleep. Cas almost jumped when the worker tapped his shoulder, stepping forward with neon pink caps for Dean. Cas gulped but nodded and stepped back to let the man do his job. Once they were on, the man stepped away, and Cas jumped forward again.

“He’ll wake up in a couple minutes,” the woman said. “The gas gives us enough time to arrive and neutralize the parties. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.”

“Thank you,” Cas said without thinking.

“Careful with him,” the woman said to the man carefully cutting away the fabric of Dimmy’s ruined shirt. “Looks like superficial cuts, bruising.” She cocked her head, studying his neck. “Nothing permanent.”

Dean stirred under Cas’s hands, groaning. His tongue licked over his teeth and lips and he frowned, his eyes coming open. He reached up, and Cas caught his hands, not wanting him to mess around with the workers’ equipment.

“It’s just for a little bit,” he whispered softly. “Because they don’t want you attacking.”

Realization lit up Dean’s face, and before Cas could do anything, Dean shoved him away, rolling to his feet and lunging for a still unconscious Dimmy. A man looped his neck skillfully with a pole, yanking him back just in time. Cas sat where he had landed, staring dumbfounded at Dean.

“I’ll rip you apart!” he was saying, baring his neon pink teeth. “You fucking touch my brother I’ll fucking rip your heart out of your chest! You wanna die?! You wanna fucking die? I’ll—” His words were cut off as the man tightened the loop enough to cut off Dean’s air. It was just for a moment but long enough to make Dean gag and drop his attack.

“Do you have any restraints for him?” the woman said, already opening her bag. “Or will we need to sedate him again?”

“Stop it!” Cas said, finally jumping to his feet. Before he realized what he was doing, he rushed to Dean’s side, pulling his hands into his own.

The man let the loop fall loose enough to let Dean breathe properly again, and Dean gasped for a full lungful, looking pleadingly up at Cas.

“Hey, hey, easy,” Cas coaxed, pressing one hand to Dean’s cheek and holding both of his hands with his other. It was more Dean holding his hand but still. “Dimmy wasn’t trying to hurt Sam. There was a misunderstanding, but if you don’t calm down I’m going to have to gag you. And blindfold.”

Dean stiffened against the threat and let his head drop, nuzzling against Cas’s hand and whimpering, high and broken.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Cas reassured. “I won’t do it unless we need to.”

“I want _him_ restrained,” Gabe declared loudly.

Cas looked up to see him pointing adamantly at Sam who curled in on himself. Dean stiffened, squeezing Cas’s hand tighter than necessary. Cas petted his head, trying to calm him down. Restraining Sam was logical, and Cas couldn’t find a reason to object.   

“I agree,” Lucifer said, speaking up for the first time. As of yet, he had just been watching everything from the sidelines. Now, he stepped forward, motioned for the woman to hand over her bag of stuff.

The woman hesitated before handing him a thick, bridle-style gag that he slipped into Sam’s mouth, buckling it around his head. She pulled a pair of cuffs out next. Sam didn’t resist as his hands were pulled behind his back and secured there.

Cas’s attention was pulled away as Dimmy started waking up and immediately began babbling to the man who held onto the pole around his neck.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. He came at me. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do!”

“Hush,” the woman said, stepping away from Sam to crouch in front of Dimmy. She pulled a swab kit out of her bag next.

Unprompted, Dimmy snapped his mouth shut and cocked his head to the side, letting her wiped down his scent glands before sealing the wipe in a plastic bag and tucking everything away again. She tapped on Dimmy’s chin and he opened his mouth, sticking out his tongue. She placed a small pill on his tongue and tapped his chin again. Dimmy swallowed it dry.

“Is it alright if I talk to you about what happened?” she said, looking to Gabe and Lucifer. “I’m going to need to write up an incident report.”

“Of course,” Gabe said. “I can show you to a sitting room.”

The woman nodded. “Get Dimmy in the back of the truck,” she told a worker. “Give him a look over. Make sure there’s nothing other than the scratches and bites.”

“Alright,” the man said, tugging Dimmy until he scrambled to his feet.

“Can he be released?” the woman asked Cas, gesturing to Dean.

Cas gave Dean a long look. He seemed to have calmed down for the most part, so Cas nodded. The man un-looped his pole from Dean’s neck and instead helped the other man with Dimmy. Dean stayed where he was, kneeling on the tiled floor.

“Sam, stay,” Gabe said sternly through gritted teeth.

Sam shuddered and arranged himself on his knees, obediently taking a submissive pose.

The woman, Gabe, and Lucifer walked further into the house and the two men pulled Dimmy out the front door. Cas stood there for a moment, looking from Dean to Sam to the door to where Gabe and Lucifer had disappeared. He swallowed.

“I’ll be back,” he said. “Please stay.” He didn’t wait for Dean’s response, only hurried out the door after the two workers.

They were already loading Dimmy into the back of a silver van, a warm looking jacket zipped up over his shoulders so that he wasn’t topless and exposed to the weather. He had his head ducked down and the poles weren’t looped around his neck anymore. He didn’t look like he was about to run which was probably why the two workers stood a couple feet away, letting him move at his own pace.

Cas cleared his throat, drawing their attention.

“Yeah?” one man said, stepping towards him. His longish hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail high on the back of his head.

“He really didn’t do anything wrong,” Cas said, nodding to Dimmy. “I swear. Sam was the one who started the whole confrontation and Dean jumped in to protect Sam. Dimmy didn’t do anything. He was completely obedient, I swear—”

“Nothing’s going to happen to him,” Ponytail said with a small smile. “It’s okay. Teeth caps are just protocol to ease the clients. Dimmy’s a good guy and his collar hardly ever goes off. We already knew it had to be another alpha when we left the station.”

“Oh,” Cas said, relief flooding his chest. “That’s good.”

“We’ll write up a report and make sure to note he didn’t instigate anything,” Ponytail went on. “He’ll probably will take a couple nights off to recover and then he’ll be offered to other clients. Huh, Dimmy? You’ve earned a couple days rest.”

Dimmy gave the man a shy smile, hugging himself as he settled on one of the van’s benches.

“Nice to see you care though,” the other man, hair buzzed short, said, stepping into the conversation. “Not many omegas do.”

Ponytail nodded. “Besides, Pay-Per alphas are well taken care of. We got a Mama-san back at the station. She doesn’t let anyone hurt our escorts.”

“That’s good,” Cas said and then looked to Dimmy. “May I?”

Ponytail nodded and stepped aside.

“I’m sorry for what happened,” Cas said, stepping a little closer to Dimmy. “I didn’t know Sam would do that. And Gabe was stupid for bringing you home.”

Dimmy smiled down at his hands, picking at his painted fingernails. “It’s alright,” he said quietly, the caps on his teeth giving Cas glimpses of bright green as he talked. “I’ve had worse.”

Cas swallowed at the implications of that but didn’t press for details. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said. “And I’m glad nothing will happen to you.”

Dimmy looked up from his lap, cheeks pink as he looked to Cas’s eyes and then dropped to his lips. “Can I—may I—if you want—”

Cas blushed as he realized what Dimmy was asking and quickly shook his head. “Oh, no, you don’t have to,” he said. “Not that you aren’t good looking! I mean, I’d rather not—”

“It’s okay,” Dimmy said, dropping his gaze back to his lap. “It was an offer. I can’t really repay you any other way.”

Cas’s cheeks felt like they were on fire. “You don’t _have_ to repay me,” he said quickly. “Um, I should get back in the house. To make sure Dean and Sam are okay!” He backed away from Dimmy, giving Ponytail and Buzz Cut a nod of thanks as well before turning and hurrying back into the house.

Dean and Sam were still sitting where he had left them, both just staring at the ground, not even looking at each other.

“Dean, can you go back to the room?” Cas said. “I’m gonna—talk to Gabe and Lucifer I guess.” He wrung his hands nervously. “I’ll take care of Sam.”

Dean looked up at him, eyes pleading. “Please,” he whispered, talking a little awkwardly around the caps. He looked a little ridiculous with a mouthful of pink, but the situation was too serious for Cas to laugh. “I don’t want him hurt.”

“He did do something wrong,” Cas said, watching as Sam flinched at his words. “Even if he didn’t mean to,” he quickly amended. “He might get punished, but I’ll try to make sure it’s nothing too bad. Hopefully Gabe has learned his lesson as well.”

Dean hung his head but nodded, slowly getting to his feet. He glanced over at Sam, like he wanted to go to him, but he slumped his shoulders instead and hurried away down the hall. Cas was left all alone with Sam.

“I know you didn’t mean to,” Cas said quietly, not really sure what he was supposed to say. “You shouldn’t have attacked Dimmy.”

“Mate,” Sam whispered, his voice a pleading whine.

“I know,” Cas said. “But Gabe—he’s an idiot. I’m so sorry.”

Sam sniffed, but his head was down and Cas couldn’t see if there actually were any tears.

Cas sighed, hating that Sam would be the one getting punished for Gabe’s stupid decisions. Cas promised he would do his best to talk some common sense into Gabe, both to himself and to Dean. But Lucifer had a strict opinion on where alphas stood socially, and if Sam stepped outside those boundaries, then Lucifer wouldn’t hesitate to put him back in his place. Especially since Sam had acted out against Gabe. Cas would argue, but he wasn’t sure how much good that would actually do.

“Thank you so much for your time,” the woman said, reappearing from the hall followed closely by Gabe and Luci. “And I’m so sorry for this entire situation. We can reimburse your purchase if necessary.”

“Please,” Lucifer said stiffly, not even giving Gabe a chance to say anything for himself. Lucifer’s glare was already leveled on Sam. “That would be appreciated.”

The woman nodded and made a note on the clipboard she was carrying. “Alright,” she said. “I’ll have that worked out as soon as we get back to the station. Thank you so much.” With that, she hurried out the front door, closing it behind her.

Cas looked to Lucifer, shivering when his eyes were still dark with anger and still levelled on Sam. Gabe looked annoyed but much calmer now that things were figured out. He was subconsciously rubbing the area around his mating bite, ghosting his fingers over the scab that was forming.

“Playroom,” Lucifer barked. “Now.”

Sam jumped to his feet and bobbed his head in an obedient nod before hurrying off. Gabe stood there a moment, still holding the ice pack against the back of his head, making his hair slightly damp. Finally, he sighed and tossed the pack onto the side table.

“The cleaners will get the vase,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about the mess or Sam.” He didn’t even look at Cas before walking coldly calm down a hallway opposite the one Sam had taken.

Cas gulped, gathered his courage, and hurried after Lucifer, wondering just how much trouble he was getting himself into. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split this story into two parts because it was getting so long. There will be one more chapter here before I start a different story. ^-^


	34. Dark Chocolate

Dean knew he was in trouble. And he knew Sam was in even more trouble. And he knew Gabe was angry and he knew what Gabe did when he was angry. He didn’t know Luci—Luci? He had only known him through things Gabe had said—was but the way his anger smelled like hot jalapenos and cracked black peppercorns set Dean on edge. Luci couldn’t be doing anything good. And Dean knew that Cas was doing his best to help.

Dean paced back and forth in Cas’s bedroom, scenting the air pointlessly and picking at the strange plastic covering his teeth. It felt weird, clunky in his mouth but not completely in the way. He didn’t like it but couldn’t figure out how to peel it off.

He couldn’t stay here. The room felt too small, too crushed, too smothering. He couldn’t breathe while he knew Luci was probably going to hurt Sam, probably _was_ hurting Sam. It made his skin crawl. Dean wanted to _do something_ not just sit here. He was just considering walking out of the room and finding Sam and maybe clocking Luci a good one—omegian position be damned—when the door cracked open and Cas slipped inside.

He smelled like panic. Hell, everything smelled like panic at this point. He hurried straight to his desk, already talking in a gush of words. “You’re going to leave, okay, Dean? I’m going to tell you where you have to go and you are going to go there and be good, okay?”

“What are you talking about?” Dean said.

Cas pulled open a drawing, rummaged around for a moment, and then pulled out a zipped up wallet. “You’re _leaving_ ,” he said again, pulling out a clump of green bills. “Here. This is the cash I have on hand. Now, listen closely.”

He tossed the wallet on the bed and pulled a piece of paper out of his desk next. He began scribbling on it, drawing arrows and lines and symbols.

“You’re going to walk to the bus stop,” he said. “Go out of the house and go right, walk until you see the red circular bus sign.” He shoved the bills into Dean’s hands. “Wait until the bus comes and get on. Let the driver see your vest and tell him your omega sent you on an errand.”

“I don’t get it,” Dean said, trying to straighten the money so that it was a neat stack.

“You’re going on an errand to the store,” Cas said. “And taking the bus.” He looked up at Dean, his blue eyes pleading with him. “Come on, Dean, you _have_ to understand. _Please_.”

Dean held back his other questions. “Okay,” he said. “Okay, I understand. I have to ride the bus to the store.”

“And stay there,” Cas said sternly, going back to writing on the piece of paper. “Buy . . . . candy or something. I don’t know. Just tell people your omega sent you and try to look busy. But you have to leave _now_.” He shoved the paper into Dean’s hands next.

Dean felt his heart skip a beat and he clutched the money and paper tight to his chest. “What are you going to do?” he asked quietly. He had never seen or smelled Cas like this. He was determined and focused. He looked ready to tear the house apart.

“Whatever I can,” Cas said. He pulled out a collar, something Dean hadn’t seen in a long time. A pair of dog tags jingled from the front, and Cas winced as he held it up. “You have to wear this,” he said apologetically.

Dean nodded and ducked his head without argument, letting Cas clip it around his neck. He didn’t fidget as Cas folded up his registration papers and tucked them into a pocket on his vest.

“Shoes,” Cas prompted, urging Dean to pull on the tennis shoes on quickly. He then shoved a thick sweatshirt into Dean’s hands and hurried him out the door. “I’ll come and get you,” he said, leading the way back to the lobby. “Don’t leave the store until then, okay? This is very serious.”

Dean nodded solemnly, knowing better then to open his mouth now. He scented desperately one last time for Sam, found nothing, and let Cas close the heavy front doors behind him. They locked with a heavy, metallic clunk, and Dean gulped.

He felt . . . . alone. Abandoned. He stood on the porch for a couple minutes, pacing back and forth. He jiggled the handle a couple times, hoping that for some reason it wouldn’t be locked and he could get back in. It wasn’t. He whined and pulled on the door, rattling it in its frame before giving that up and turning to the driveway and road. He pulled out the paper Cas had written on and studied it.

Go right until he found the bus sign. He could do that. That seemed simple enough. He carefully tucked the wad of money into another one of his vest’s pockets and started walking.

It was strange being out on his own. _Completely_ alone. No one leading him by a leash. No one walking next to him, telling him where to go. No one stopping him from doing whatever he wanted. Dean kept walking straight, wondering how long it would take to reach the bus stop.

A while. The answer was a while. Dean wasn’t sure how long he had been walking, but sweat was starting to collect under his collar, making it tight and uncomfortable when he finally spotted the sign that Cas had described.

Dean’s heart jumped in his chest. He didn’t see a bus and there was no one else waiting next to the sign, but there it was. He had made it! He jogged to the sign, already unzipping the pocket with the money and pulling out a couple bills. He didn’t know how many it would take, wasn’t even sure how if he had enough. He hoped the bus driver would help him or maybe someone else. He was counting up the numbers that were printed on the corners of the different bills, when a stone hit the back of his head.

It wasn’t even a big stone, more like a pebble, but Dean still whipped around, ready to snarl at whoever had thrown it. Two teenagers, one omega and one beta, were standing a little ways away. The beta was smirking at him, tossing another stone up and down, looking like he was getting ready to throw it. Dean immediately felt the fight leave him.

“What do we have here?” the beta said, taking a threatening step towards Dean. “A little alpha out all by himself?”

“Dude, leave it,” the omega said, looking bored with the whole situation. “Why do you always do this?”

“Come on,” the beta said, looking pleadingly at his friend. “His owner’s nowhere to be seen. We can have a little fun and no one will care.”

“He’s wearing a fucking working vest,” the omega said, grabbing his friend’s shoulder to pull him back. “We just went over this in Social Studies. Weren’t you listening?”

The beta stopped tossing the pebble, studying Dean a little hard. “Uh, I think?” he said. “You know I hate that class.”

“He’s a _working_ alpha,” the omega explained with a sigh, rolling his eyes. “Means no one is allowed to touch him. He’s probably running errands for an elderly omega back home.”

Dean slumped his shoulders, glad that the situation was working out by itself. He didn’t want to fight and get in trouble, but he certainly didn’t want to roll over and let these kids do whatever they wanted.

“Awe man,” the beta said. “I wanted to have some fun!”

“Dude, the bus is coming!” the omega said, grabbing his friend’s shoulder and yanking him back away from Dean. “Come on. We can find someone else to suck your dick.”

Before Dean could do or say anything else, the rumble and hiss of a huge bus caught his attention, and the huge vehicle pulled to a stop right next to him and the sign. The doors jerked open, and Dean found himself looking up at a grisly looking omega with a scraggly beard and a potbelly. The omega stared down at him and cocked an eyebrow up.

“You gettin’ on, alpha?” he said with a grunt.

“Oh, yes,” Dean said. He stepped up the stairs, making sure he didn’t hit his shins and presented the bills to the man. He hoped that the man would just take the ones he needed. When he only stared at Dean quizzically, Dean ducked his head in embarrassment. “I . . . I don’t know,” he mumbled.

The omega grunted and grabbed several of the bills, stuffing them into a machine. It whirled and then spat out change and a ticket, both of which the omega grabbed and passed back to Dean.

“Alphas sit in the back,” he said. “If there isn’t room, then you stand and hold onto one of the loops.” He gestured to the ceiling where lines of plastic loops hung all the way down the length of the bus.

Dean nodded quickly, accepting his ticket and money and hurrying to the back of the bus.

There were already a couple alphas sitting there, but there was enough room that Dean didn’t have to stand. He plopped down quickly on a bench that wasn’t occupied just as the bus let out another hiss and pulled forward, back out into the street. And Dean had the chance to study the alphas sitting around him.

One, an older man, was sitting on the bench across from him, all his hair buzzed from his head. He had an impossibly large ball-gag strapped in his mouth, forcing his lips wide. He stared blankly down at his lap, not even reacting when drops of spit fell from his chin onto his hands. He wore a mesh t-shirt that barely concealed the harsh red whip marks across his shoulders, back, and chest. He wore mesh shorts as well, but they did a much better job of concealing, going for a more modest approach. He looked . . . . dead. Miserable. He didn’t even _smell_ like anything, just dull and empty. Dean shuddered and quickly turned his gaze away.

The next alpha was a woman, hair frazzled and heavy bags under her eyes. Her clothes were much more normal, a pair of plain black flats, jeans and a t-shirt. Of course, there was a thick black collar fastened around her neck, a silver tag that read “bitch” in swirling font resting in the hollow of her throat. She had her shirt hitched up to her chin though, nervously trying to get a small baby to nurse. The tiny kit was red-faced from crying, and the woman looked like she hadn’t gotten a good night’s rest in days.

“Come on, Sweet,” she was murmuring, coaxing the baby to latch onto one breast. “It’ll be okay. You gotta eat though. You gotta eat and be strong, Sweet. Gotta do that for me?”

Dean turned away, shivering at the desperation in her voice. He didn’t want to think about the tiny kit growing up and the mother struggling to raise it.

The next alpha was standing, bouncing on the balls of his feet, chewing his bottom lip as his eyes rolled up and down. His own shirt and pants were skin tight, giving Dean a too-good view of his crotch. There was an obvious bulge from a cage around his knot. He looked young, much younger than the woman and other man. One hand was clenching a loop from the ceiling and the other was balled up in his shirt.

“Oh, ah, oooh,” he kept gasping, wriggling in place. His mouth suddenly dropped open and he tipped his chin up. “Oh, Master-er,” he said. “Oh, oh! Ah!”

His hips twitched forward before he seemed to catch himself and hold himself back, bouncing a little more on his feet. He seemed completely oblivious to his surroundings, too focused on whatever toy was shoved down his pants than the people around him. He shivered with pleasure, twitching sporadically, smelling like a whore house.

Dean swallowed and looked away, not wanting to stare too long.

The next alpha was sitting, curled up in the back corner, face buried in a book. Dean cocked his head to read the title and then immediately regretted it. “What No One Talks About Alphas Anymore: the myth about alpha pleasure and why it doesn’t exist,” the front cover read in clear blocky letters. The alpha, Dean couldn’t tell if they were male or female. Their head was shaved completely and a heavy sweatshirt obscured most of their body. They didn’t seem intent on looking up and were too focused on their book to be interesting.

Dean turned away just as the bus rumbled to a stop and the doors up front hissed open.

“Stop number twenty-six!” the driver called back. “Stop number twenty-six!”

Dean scrambled for his sheet of paper, smoothing it out over his lap and scanning it quickly to see if Cas had written anything about which stop he would have to get off at. Sure enough, underneath the directions to the bus stop, Cas had written “stop twenty-seven.” Dean relaxed in relief that he didn’t need to rush to get off, only to stiffen when an omega stomped their way into the alpha section.

The alpha who had been standing immediately jumped to attention, hands leaving his shirt and the loop to reach out toward the omega.

The omega, who looked like a businessman in his dark grey suit and crisp white shirt, shoved the alpha away with a grimace. “Don’t get my suit dirty,” he said. “Come on. We have a meeting at the office and you’re the main event.”

“Yes, Master, of course, Master,” the alpha said, eagerly tipping his chin up to let the omega snap a heavy leash to his collar. He gagged as the omega yanked harder than necessary as he turned and started walking. The alpha followed quickly with a vacant, dumb expression, a string of drool starting to slip down his chin.

The bus idled for a moment longer before the doors slipped closed and it pulled back out into traffic. Dean kept his head down after that, not wanting to catch any attention. The kit in the woman’s arms started to cry and the woman desperately tried to calm it down with shushes and murmurs, unsuccessfully. Dean didn’t even look up.

A couple minutes later, the bus eased to another stop, the brakes creaking and the doors hissing open.

“Stop number twenty-seven!” the driver called. “Stop number twenty-seven!”

Dean quickly jumped to his feet, hurrying towards the front of the bus, happily leaving the alpha section behind. Under the instruction of the driver, he punched his ticket and then hurried down the steps out into the street.

He coughed at the wave of smoke and exhaust that hit him in the face which only got worse as the bus changed gears and pulled away. Dean’s eyes were watering by the time he recovered and started looking around.

The sidewalk was bustling with people and foot traffic, mostly omegas and betas all hurrying one direction or another as they rushed along. They carried phones and briefcases and tablets, working as they walked as if they didn’t have a moment to spare.

The buildings were all several stories tall, made of hard brick or cement. Signs and advertisements were all brightly colored and hung every couple windows. It looked like a business district and smelled like the bottom of a dumpster. Dean covered his nose with one hand and pulled out the piece of paper.

Underneath the bus stop information, Cas had scribbled a series of lefts and rights. It didn’t look too complicated, so Dean took a steadying breath and turned left, following the first instruction. He hurried along, keeping his head down, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. And nobody stopped him either, most being too busy to care about what he was doing.

It took several long, panicky minutes but Dean eventually arrived at a small brick building with neat green shutters. A sign with painted yellow letters said the building was the “True Green Organic Market” so Dean figured he was in the right place. He re-folded the piece of paper and tucked it into his vest, making sure the money was in place before walking inside.

The smell was much easier to handle inside the building. Instead of smoke and exhaust, it smelled like fresh produce and air freshener. Dean was able to drop his hand from his nose as he orientated himself and started to look around.

There were only a couple other customers walking up and down the aisles, sophisticated betas and omegas pushing small carts or carrying baskets of the food they were going to buy. A couple alphas were running the check-out stations, wearing green aprons and khaki slacks. Dean ducked his head and hurried towards the back of the store.

He wasn’t completely sure what he was supposed to do while he waited. Cas didn’t really say how long it would take. Dean stopped in front of a pyramid of apples, picking one up and rolling it between his fingers. The skin was bright red and shiny, perfectly ripe. Dean wasn’t sure how much it would cost but he figured he couldn’t aimlessly wander around the store so he held onto it and moved to another aisle.

He found the sweets a couple aisles down, the brightly colored packages trying to pull his attention and make him choose the gaudiest one. Dean stared at all the options, never imaging that he would be in the position to choose something so delicious. Gummy bears, worms, and octopuses all hung on one side of the rack and chocolate kisses, squares, and cubes all filled with fruit, peanut butter, and caramel hung on the other side. There were sugar spun hard candies and candy bars with nuts and pretzels.

The stacks of chocolate bars caught his eye, and Dean stepped over to them, running his fingers down the brightly colored packages ranging from red to green to blue to plain brown. Dean picked up the chocolate bar wrapped in blue, wondering what the difference between them all was.

“Excuse me.”

Dean turned, flinching at the omega dressed in the worker’s uniform. She didn’t seem intimidating, but Dean was still high strung from everything so far and he instinctively hunched his shoulders, wanting to bare his scent glands.

“Are you on an errand for your omega?” the worker asked with a kind smile.

Dean swallowed and nodded.

The worker maintained her smile. “Are you supposed to be looking at the candy?” she said, her voice and scent slightly teasing.

Dean wrinkled his nose. She acted like she was talking to a kit or a small child. He nodded and managed to find his voice. “I’m supposed to wait,” he said, hating how his voice cracked with nerves and fear.

“Well, do you know how long your omega will be?” the worker asked.

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. He felt a knot begin to tie itself in his throat, and he hated himself for feeling.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” the omega said, stepping up and taking his arm. “Look, how about you come sit down.” She noticed the apple and candy bar in his hand. “We can buy those if you want.”

Dean nodded, not trusting himself to talk. He let himself be led up to the check-out area, avoiding eye contact with the worker alpha that rung up his items. He showed the bills that he had left to the omega, watching as she picked out a couple and handed them to the alpha. Dean accepted his change, hating how the alpha smelled like sympathy.

The omega handed him his bag of one apple and one chocolate bar and led him to a side room that looked like it was decorated for kits. The carpet had a bright, geometric pattern and all the tables and chairs were tiny-sized. There were tubs and bins of toys, building blocks and trains. A couple cabinets hung from the wall but they were closed. The omega sat Dean down on one of the tiny chairs, his knees jutting up to his chest.

“You just stay here, alright?” the omega said kindly. “We can’t have alphas wandering around the store, even if you are super professional certified.” She tapped the front of his vest, right over the white block letters of Med A. “How about you eat some of the food you just bought and I’ll see if anyone has come for you.”

Dean nodded as the omega straightened and walked out of the room. He flinched when he heard the door lock and slumped his shoulders.

He reached into his plastic bag instead, pulling out the apple and candy bar. He started with the apple first, taking a huge bite. It was crisp and juicy and sweet, like something Cas would give him if they were eating dinner alone in the kitchen. Dean ate it quickly, nibbling down the core and sucking the juice off his fingers. He set the core carefully on the table and unwrapped the chocolate next. It was dark, almost black, and smelled bitter.

Dean wrinkled his nose and took a huge bite anyway, wanting something sweet and self-indulgent to get his mind off his feelings.

He gagged almost immediately, wanting the spit the chocolate out but not wanting to waste it. He chewed quickly, which only made it taste even worse, and swallowed, shuddering as the taste lingered in his mouth. He sucked on his teeth, trying to get rid of it as fast as possible.

Dark chocolate. He had grabbed _dark chocolate_. He stared down at the bar in his hands, hating how it had betrayed him. Hating how stupid he had been. Maybe the red one would have been better. Maybe the green one. No, he had grabbed the fucking blue one.

Dean rewrapped it in its foil, stuffing it back in his bag. He hugged his knees and stared down at the brightly colored carpet. He ignored the tears that trickled down his cheeks and tried not to think about how everything was slipping through his fingers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to publish the first chapter of the next section tomorrow. I'm not sure how notifications or subscriptions work for series but if you check some time tomorrow night, I'm sure I'll have it up ^-^ 
> 
> You could also [talk](https://manuscript-or.tumblr.com/) to me if you want


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